Say it Twice
by NeonHorizon
Summary: She sees him as a hero. He isn't, of course. He just wants to keep her safe. Even if he has to juggle that with his League of Villains duties. A sweet love story for our dear Bubaigawara Jin (Twice) because, honestly, he doesn't get enough love. This is a Twice love story exclusively. No other love interests. OC x Twice. M rating for future swearing, etc. just to be safe.
1. Chapter 1

NeonHorizon: There were no fanfics for Twice exclusively so I made one. Because I like Twice. I'm going to do my best to make this a sweet love story with bits that are a bit funny, but there will be sad parts as well because Twice is sort of a sad character. Trigger warning for sad bits, I suppose. Anyway, this is for my fellow Twice fans out there!

* * *

It felt like he was splitting apart. Standing in the alley, clutching his head with both hands, he cursed himself for having left his mask behind. He had been in a rush. This errand should only have taken a few minutes. Now he was struggling to hold himself together.

What had triggered it was the cashier in the convenience store asking if he was having a good day. Part of his mind wanted to say he had had a good day and part of him wanted to say he had a bad day. So when he replied with a simple "yeah", he immediately followed it up with a "this was a terrible day".

He hurried out of the store before he could really start to feel like he was coming apart and managed to get to the alley before his pulse began to race. Gritting his teeth, he closed his eyes tightly and tried to keep himself in one piece. The fear of splitting was almost too much to bear. Memories of the past, of his doubles killing each other.

Images of himself, killing themselves, as he was forced to watch and then wonder if the real one had in fact died. If he was, in reality, just another clone and once he was destroyed, he would be erased from the world forever. Panic made his heart pound so hard, so fast, that he could hear it. An echo from within.

Jin knew that he had to get back to the hotel room. He had to get back to his mask before this feeling became too much to bear. Already, he had the strong urge to just hunch over in the alley until it faded. It would only grow, though. Until he had his mask on, this feeling would only increase until he became incapacitated by fear and panic.

He forced himself to leave the alley, but he was having trouble. He swayed as he walked, stumbling a little as he tried to hold his head and concentrate on getting back to his hotel room. At least it was dark outside so no one was really out to see him acting this way. Drawing attention to himself would be bad; he was a wanted criminal. It was one thing to just walk around outside because he looked normal enough, but staggering around would definitely make people notice him.

Traveling down the sidewalk, in the dimness of night, he hated that this was happening. It made him feel upset that he was unable to do something as simple as go to the store without feeling like he was coming apart. Frustration made him growl as he approached an alley and that growl triggered the fateful encounter to come.

"What's your problem, dude? Just move on! This doesn't concern you!"

"What? You planning to play hero?"

Hearing the two male voices taunting, calling his way, Jin looked into the alley and realized what was going on. The two men that were yelling at him were facing him, partially obstructing the two figures further in the alley. One of those figures was a man, who stood over the other figure. The second person in there was on the ground, half-curled into a ball. The man standing over them was holding something that glinted faintly in the light from the streetlight that shone in.

Jin was not a hero. He could watch a robbery happen with no problem. He could walk away after witnessing a burglary. However, something was different here. It might have been that the two men were now coming toward him. It might have been that their accomplice was now hauling the huddled figure to their feet and shoving them against the wall. It was more likely that Jin caught sight of their prey as the light faintly illuminated them.

Their prey was a young woman and there was a bloody, deep cut on her left cheek. Tears were streaming down her pale face as she remained silent, despite the knife's close proximity to her. She was wearing a baggy dark sweater and a long skirt so it was hard to tell if she had been injured anywhere else.

Again, Jin was not a hero. He was a wanted criminal. Even if he could ignore a burglary or robbery, he still had some sense of justice. It was a bit skewed, but he had a sense of justice. Especially when it came to women. Since their prey was a woman, he would be unable to just walk away.

His eyes narrowed, teeth gritting so hard they might crack. Jin let his hands curl into fists as the two men approached him. Using his quirk was out of the question; this was going to have to be a brawl. Still struggling to keep himself together, he launched into the fight.

He had to be careful, of course. In his mind, he was probably just a double of the real Jin. If he took too much damage, he would fall apart and it would be the end of him. He would be gone forever.

For the most part, he was able to dodge their punches. No quirks were used. Partially because one man's quirk was just having weirdly looping horns. The other simply seemed content to fight with fists so he either did not have a quirk or it was too weak to be of help. Jin took a few hits to the face and chest, but eventually managed to knock them both out.

The third man saw this and yanked the young woman away from the wall, pressing his knife's tip against her throat. "Don't come any closer or I'll put this through her neck, got it? Just toss your wallet over here and we'll call it good!"

What this man did not realize was that Jin was not the usual sane interloper that would normally intervene in a mugging. His adrenaline was pumping hard and fast through his veins as he approached. He was already bloody and bruised. He knew he could take a few more hits and one stab would be fine as long as it avoided anywhere vital. What was driving him onward was the look on the woman's face.

Pure fear filled her features. Tears trickled down her cheeks as she met his gaze. The darkness of the alley made it hard to see what color her hair and eyes were, but he could still feel what she was trying to convey. Despite having not said a word or even cried out. She was silently, desperately, begging for his help.

That was all it took; one look in her eyes. The next few seconds were filled with him first charging forward and smashing his fist into the man's face, grabbing the woman's arm with his free hand, and shoving her to safety behind him.

**Shift P.O.V**

Watching this stranger slam his fist directly into her attacker's nose, she felt her heart skip a beat. Those narrowed eyes. The way his jaw clenched. The determination in his expression. To her, he looked so much like a hero. He could only be a hero or vigilante.

The woman wiped at her eyes with her sleeve, grimacing as she accidentally brushed the deep cut on her cheek. It stung, but she knew it could have been much worse; they could have cut down to the bone. Her vision was blurred by tears of gratitude as the man delivered a rapid punch to the attacker's gut, knocking him backwards and onto the cold, hard ground.

A hand grabbed hers and she was led out of the alley at a fast pace by the benevolent stranger. She quickened her pace, running beside him and keeping her head bowed. This person, whoever he was, had taken so many hits to save her. _How could I ever repay such kindness? A man of virtue…coming to my aid…defending me with such determination…_

He led her through another alley, keeping a fast pace so the attackers would be unable to keep up. The man seemed to know his way around the alleys pretty well because he navigated through the labyrinth with ease. When he finally came to a stop, it was in front of the very convenience store she had been walking to when she was grabbed by those men.

The light from the sign perfectly illuminated his face and she was taken aback by what she saw. His nose was bleeding and one cheek was swelling, sure to darken with a bruise later. He was trying to catch his breath, still holding her hand as he looked around to be sure no one had followed them.

She lowered her head again before he looked her way and dug in her pocket. With a trembling hand, she offered him her handkerchief to wipe away the blood. While she was grateful that he saved her, she felt terrible that he had been injured.

He turned to ask if she was alright, but stopped mid-sentence when he saw her timidly offering the neatly folded, flower-printed cloth. "You…don't have to-"

"P-please…it's the very least…that I can offer you…" Her voice was soft, whispery. It seemed to almost take him by surprise. She bowed, still holding out the handkerchief and waiting for him to take it. _After all that you've done for me, I only wish that I could offer you more. Sacrificing yourself to ensure my safety. Only a truly noble person would do this for a stranger._

The man looked a bit uncomfortable with accepting her offering, but took it nonetheless. His eyes shifted away from the young woman as he wiped away the blood, his mouth contorted into a frown. "Are you okay?"

"I'm…fine, but you…sir…are you alright?" It was now that she took in the finer details of his appearance. Looking past the injuries, she saw that he was at least a foot taller than she was. He had a good build; toned, but not overly muscular. His hair was blond, short, and a bit messy and his narrowed eyes were a gray-blue shade. A deep scar ran down the center of his forehead and it looked as if the wound would have been quite painful.

He finished wiping away the blood and looked conflicted for a moment. As if struggling with the decision of whether or not to return the now stained handkerchief. "I'm fine. I got messed up because of you! No! I'm sorry…" He clapped a hand over his mouth, the muscles in his neck tensing as he looked away.

_That was…so peculiar. My hero. So strange, yet he's still so brave and noble._ She could tell that the outburst, the accusation that it was her fault he got hurt, was entirely unintentional. The young woman fidgeted with the hem of her sleeve, bowing again. "Ah. My name is…Kuroiwa Neneko…"

With his hand still over his mouth, he bowed slightly. "Bubaigawara Jin," he hesitantly offered.

"Um…Bubaigawara-san…to repay you…for your kind, noble deed…" Neneko dug in her skirt pocket and drew forth a small business card. She held it out to him with both hands, though they trembled with residual fear. "I truly could never repay your brave actions today. I can offer you my services, though…if you are ever in need…"

**Shift P.O.V**

She was not the typical damsel in distress and he found himself thrown off by her. This young woman with long obsidian hair and soft violet eyes, wearing dark and baggy clothing. Kuroiwa Neneko. She spoke softly and formally. Her voice was just barely above a whisper and he found that he rather liked it.

He liked a few things about her, in fact. She had a rather dainty frame; a least a foot shorter than him and having delicate little hands. It made him feel powerful and enhanced the pride that came with saving her from the muggers.

Kuroiwa Neneko. Right at this moment, she was holding out a business card to him, offering her services to repay him for saving her. When he took it from those delicate, trembling hands, he was puzzled to see what was on the card.

It would seem that her occupation was "translator" and the card listed her name, her phone number, her email, and all of the languages that she was fluent in. It was truly an impressive list; English, Korean, German, Spanish, French, and Russian.

_She must be really smart. If she's so smart, why was she walking by herself at night?! _Looking over the card again, he nodded to himself. Though Jin could genuinely never imagine that he would need someone to translate for him because he had no business with foreigners. "Thanks."

The woman bowed again, her soft pink lips curling into a small smile. A rosy hue bloomed in her cheeks as she met his eyes directly. "Please, Bubaigawara-san…if you ever need a translator…feel free to contact me."

"I will. You think I have money to spend on a translator?!" Cursing himself in his head, he covered his mouth and struggled to hold himself together.

Most people would probably walk away quickly when they saw a man holding the side of his head and having an internal argument. Instead, she stood there patiently as he sorted himself out and chewed at a loose thread on the hem of her sleeve. When he seemed to be alright, she softly spoke up.

"Ah…Bubaigawara-san…I would never dream of charging you for it…no matter the word count or hours demanded. I owe you a debt that I may never be able to repay so I can only hope to aid you in ways within my capabilities."

Jin nodded as he looked at her card again. "Do you…need someone to walk you home?" He hesitated to ask. Partially because he was afraid of seeming creepy and partially because he was starting to get that feeling again. Like he might split apart. He gritted his teeth as he fought back the conflicting words that wanted burst from his mouth.

"Thank you, but I…don't want to impose on you any further." She bowed again and went into the convenience store to go about her shopping.

He started back to his hotel, lighting a cigarette. _She was nice. Nah!_


	2. Chapter 2

The quiet tap of rain against the window, the gentle click of the keyboard as she typed, the soft purring of the cat curled up in its bed beside her desk. Her world was serene inside of her apartment and she loved it that way. She made great efforts to make her home as comforting as possible.

Kuroiwa Neneko was a recluse. A shut in. It was rare for her to leave the apartment at all. The incident a few days prior had been one of those uncommon instances where she was forced to venture out into the world.

She had someone that she typically paid to run errands for her. A young man that was currently in college. The extra income helped him afford to feed himself so she was more than happy to pay him a good salary in exchange for him getting her groceries and the like. However, he had to go back to his family home in the country due to an emergency so, when she ran out of food, she had to go out.

Her luck was never good so it came as only a slight surprise when she found herself being dragged into an alley and roughed up. The men demanded her wallet, but she had only brought enough cash for a few days' worth of groceries. They had determined that they would just take her and were about to call for a car when her rescuer appeared at the end of the alley.

Bathed in the soft glow from the streetlight, standing there ready to take them on. The memory sent a pleasant shiver down her spine and she smiled to herself. _Bubaigawara Jin. Such a kind, noble gentleman. Not many would rush to help a stranger, especially in a situation where he could have simply walked away. I hope that I can repay him in some way._

Deciding to take a break from her work, Neneko pulled up a search to see what sort of information she could find regarding him. She was surprised to find that he was, in fact, a wanted criminal. Digging further, she browsed the list of his offenses. It seemed to be mostly non-violent crimes. Theft, for the most part. One traffic accident in which a young man was injured, having occurred when he was a teenager.

For being a wanted criminal, he had treated her incredibly gently. _He seems like a kind soul. These crimes really don't match the man that rescued me. Most of these charges are from years ago. _She sat back in her seat, chewing absently at her thumbnail. _Still, to imagine that he did commit these crimes. Could it be that something occurred to change him? None of these crimes are recent._

The cat shifted in its bed and stood, stretching. It sat up and began to clean its face, drawing her attention. Neneko leaned down to stroke the top of its head, earning a meow of appreciation. As she looked at an old mugshot of Bubaigawara, she propped her chin in her hand and found herself falling into a daydream.

As a teenager, as he was in this photo, Neneko was often bullied for her soft voice. She rarely spoke and always had her head down. So now she was trying to imagine what it might have been like if she had known him back then. If perhaps they would have been friends. Though she doubted it. She doubted that he would have even noticed her.

She clicked back to the document that she was currently translating for a client, attempting to return her focus to the task. It was proving difficult as she remembered his peculiar behavior. The outbursts of conflicting statements. Rather than unsettling, it was intriguing.

_I don't suppose he will call on me for assistance. Why would he need a translator? Only businesses make use of my services, as well as the occasional order from shadier fellows._

She decided that, even if she liked him, she would probably never see him again. It was unfortunate, but it was the harsh reality of the situation. This was life. It was not a fairy tale where a frumpy witch is rescued by a gallant knight, instantly made beautiful by the power of love, and they live happily ever after.

**Shift P.O.V**

A look in the bathroom mirror showed that his bruises were fading. He was really lucky to have escaped without a broken nose or stab wound. Of course, he attributed that luck to her being there. Something seemed almost magical about her. She had made him feel so strong, so confident and brave.

He gripped the edges of the sink, glaring at his reflection. Glaring at his own gruff, intimidating face. The sort of face that scared people away. Yet, by some miracle, Kuroiwa was unfazed. She was patient during his outburst and remained completely calm.

Jin splashed some water on his face, rubbing at it as he tried to push away the remnants of grogginess from just waking up. It was mid-afternoon, but he had nowhere to be. No business to attend to. No one to meet up with him. Basically, Jin knew that he had no reason to actually get out of bed. Yet here he was.

Standing at the window, he lit a cigarette and frowned as he looked down at the street. The mid-afternoon crowd was way less intense than the morning or evening hordes, but they still provided him the slight entertainment of people-watching. Normally, he might enjoy the wide variety of strangers walking past. Today, he found himself glancing from one to the next and subconsciously searching for a woman with black hair and violet eyes.

He released a frustrated sigh and ran a hand over his hair, knowing that it was ridiculous. What had occurred was a chance encounter. Nothing more, nothing less. Even if he had been walking past that alley at just the right moment, had growled to himself at just the right moment. Looking at the folded handkerchief and business card sitting on top of the little television, he had to wonder if it was fate that had brought them together that night.

_What am I supposed to do? I don't have anything for her to translate. I can't just call her; I don't want to bother her. I should just call her and tell her I like her!_ He pressed a hand at his right temple, gritting his teeth for a moment. "No! I can't just…say _that_ to her."

Unfortunately, she was now all he could think about. Specifically the way that she looked at him, her violet eyes shining wetly. She had looked at him with such amazement, such admiration. No one had ever looked at Jin the way that she had and this simple fact made his pulse race.

Before he could really think about what he was doing, he was calling the only person who could probably provide him with something Kuroiwa could translate for him. "Hey…what languages do you know?" Jin struggled to ask this, feeling kind of ashamed and hoping that his acquaintance would not question the request.

"Huh? Uh…why? I mean, I know a little English, but it's not great," Giran replied. "Why? You need someone to translate-?"

"No! I mean, I…" The muscles in his neck tensed, teeth clenched together tightly as he tried to hold himself together. "Can you send me stuff in English?"

There was a pause, in which Giran was definitely wondering about Jin's motives. Thankfully, he seemed as if he would just wait before asking questions. He probably wanted to see just what it was that Jin needed the English words for. "I guess I could probably use a search engine translator. You're in luck; I was going to send you some stuff anyway. I'll send it pretty soon."

"…thanks…" Jin slouched forward in defeat. _This is a bad idea. She said that she'd help, but I'm going to bother her. This is gonna make her day. I hope Giran sends something good._ He winced and pressed a hand at the side of his head again, hoping that Giran would hurry up.

**Shift P.O.V**

"Ah…?" Neneko hesitantly picked up her phone, her pulse pounding at the thought of speaking to someone. It was an unknown number. It was always was, so this was no surprise. What was a surprise was the voice that greeted her.

"K-Kuroiwa Neneko?" Jin's voice held a strain. As if he was trying desperately to be quiet, wherever he was.

She felt a smile creep onto her face and she lifted a hand, hiding her mouth behind the baggy sleeve of her sweater. "Bubaigawara-san…? Yes, this is Kuroiwa Neneko...and…how can I be of service to you?" It was her typical greeting to customers. After all, she was afraid that this might just be a call to ask for assistance. She would help him, of course. She had promised to repay him in whatever way she could. However, there was a faint hope that perhaps her gallant rescuer would want to just converse.

There was a slight pause and he seemed to mutter to himself, the phone apparently held at a distance for a moment. When Jin spoke again, he sounded exhausted. "I just…I got a message and it's all in English. I can speak English! No! I can't…I don't know any English so could you…?"

Neneko stared at her computer screen. It was open to a document that was sent from a respectable, business client and it was all in English so she was already in an English language sort of mindset. Not to mention, she did really want to see him again. "Ah…alright. Bubaigawara-san…if I could impose upon you once more…would it be alright with you if I were to send you my address and you could come here to my apartment?"

Some might think that it was dangerous for her to invite him to her home. However, this was normal. She even had a room that was set aside specifically for meeting with her most important clients. Lesser clients were spoken to via webcam. If things were to get out of hand, Neneko had a blade hidden beneath the table that she could use to defend herself. Though it had never come to that before.

_He's a rarity_, she thought to herself as she started some water to boil. _A man so brave, so kind. Someone of his caliber and virtue would never do something unseemly. _She skimmed through her tea selection until she found a suitable one and gathered her tea set onto a tray.

From what he had said, he would be there fairly soon. It seemed as if where he was staying was not too far from her apartment building. She was both glad and nervous. It felt like little bubbles of anticipation were forming in her veins, giving the slightest sensation of being giddy.

"…almost as if it's fate…" she murmured to herself. Neneko smiled coyly and covered it with a hand. Fate was an odd thing. She knew this. It could make the strangest, most terrible things happen sometimes and then turn everything around. It was unpredictable, chaotic.

**Shift P.O.V**

_This was a mistake. This is gonna be great._ His hands curled into fists, teeth gritted as he tried to calm down. Jin already felt like he was starting to split apart. The whole walk to her building, he could feel himself getting more and more anxious. Just thinking about seeing her again was enough to make him crave the tight security of his mask.

He checked his pocket to be sure his mask was tucked there and was glad to find it. If he could just stay calm, he might be able to fight against the feeling. He wanted to see her so he would try to just make it quick before he could do something to make her afraid of him.

When the door opened, Jin was unsure of what he had expected, but this was a pleasant surprise. Kuroiwa stared up at him, a sleeve-hidden hand in front of her mouth as she tilted her head slightly. A pure white cat came trotting from down the hall behind her, rubbing against the side of her leg and meowing up at Jin.

Kuroiwa looked exceptionally comfy; wearing an oversized black sweater and a long violet skirt. She bowed, murmuring a quiet welcome, and stepped aside to let him in. "The tea room…is where we can discuss the translation and message. Down the hallway and to the right."

Her soft, whispery voice sent a pleasant shiver down his spine and he gave a nod of understanding. He walked ahead of her, digging in his pocket for his phone to open the messages from Giran. They were lengthy. In a burst of enthusiasm and confidence in his ability to keep himself together, he had asked Giran to make sure it would take a while for someone to translate the messages. He wanted as much time as possible with the violet-eyed young woman.

Sitting across the coffee table from her, his stare settled on the healing cut on her left cheek. He was instantly reminded of the attacker who had pointed a knife at her throat and threatened her life. Jin felt a sort of twisting in his gut. Guilt. He wished that he had arrived earlier; he might have saved her from being scarred like this.

"I…made a pot of tea…I hope you don't mind, but I don't have any coffee…too acidic for my taste..." She tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear as she leaned forward to pour tea into their cups. Her cat was now rubbing against Jin's leg and meowing for affection.

"It's fine. I don't want your gross leaf water! I want coffee!" He covered his mouth, teeth gritting as he tried to avoid her gaze. It was frustrating. Like the night that they met, he just wished that he could do a simple, adult thing like shopping for groceries or talking to another adult without feeling like he might split in half.

Instead of acting offended, she ducked her head in order to hide the faint hint of warmth rising to her face. A bit of honey was drizzled into both cups and Kuroiwa offered one to him, her lips curled into a timid smile. "Bubaigawara-san…this is a chamomile lavender tea that I personally enjoy…it helps me to feel relaxed…when I feel anxious about something."

_My soulmate…_Jin tried to hide how happy he felt, but he really wanted to smile. _She understands me. She's just making fun of me!_ The kindness with which she regarded him clashed vastly with that contradicting thought.


	3. Chapter 3

This was his chance to talk to her. To make a good impression on her. While he had waited for Giran to prepare his message, Jin had thought about what he would do when he saw Kuroiwa. He wanted to know more about her so he considered different things he could ask her. He tried to imagine casually talking to her and, in his head, it turned out rather smooth.

This was far from smooth and he knew it. Sitting across the coffee table from her, Jin tried to think of a casual way to start a conversation. He was feeling anxious though. _She probably doesn't want to talk_, he thought as he glanced toward her. _She's busy. She's…trying to help me. I bet she's sick of the quiet!_

Kuroiwa's cat was sitting at his feet, staring up at him intensely with large amber eyes. It tilted its head, its pale tail curling at the end in curiosity. A paw lifted and tapped at his knee, attempting to get his attention. Unfortunately, his attention was completely on the cat's owner.

She was working diligently to try to translate Giran's message for him. Holding his cellphone in her pale, delicate hand. Lips moving silently as she mouthed English words that he did not understand. Her free hand lifted to push hair away from her face, violet eyes narrowing slightly upon a particular phrase.

Seeing her work like this made his heart beat a little faster, warmth rising to his face. Jin knew that he was falling in love and it was happening fast, but he had no regrets falling for someone like her. Someone so delicate and soft, so gentle and sweet. Kuroiwa really did seem like his soulmate; like his absolute perfect match.

"If you want…Bubaigawara-san…you can always forward this message to my phone. I wouldn't blame you if you would rather do something else while I work. I could…translate the message…and send it back to you."

Jin looked directly at her, brow furrowing and making his scar look deeper. "No; I don't mind. Really. I don't have anything else going on. Stop wasting my time! An online translator would be way faster!" He covered his mouth with one hand, the other squeezing his own knee as he turned his head to the side.

Kuroiwa tilted her head, vaguely resembling her cat for a moment. She bit her lower lip and glanced to the side, setting down her pen. The woman's right hand reached forward across the coffee table, her fingertips resting on top of the hand on his knee. "…Bubaigawara-san…?"

The warmth of her skin against his instantly drew his attention away from the terrible contradictory thoughts. His head was filled with only the bliss that this simple touch brought him. When he looked toward her, the woman's violet eyes were full of gentle concern and something else. Something that made his pulse skip a beat. A strange sort of affection, mixed with admiration. They blended with her worry and he knew in that moment that she was not afraid of him; she was genuinely concerned about his wellbeing.

_Her hand's so soft…_Jin wanted to say something to reassure her that he was fine. He wanted to show that he was as strong and brave as she thought he was because he wanted her to know that she could rely on him. As he tried to summon forth the words, he could feel his heart pounding erratically.

"I'm sorry," he finally murmured, tearing his gaze away from her.

"Ah…it's…I can assure you that it's fine. Honestly, my biggest concern is that I may be causing you stress by taking so long."

"No, I-! I _want_ to be here! I mean…" His hand moved from covering his mouth to holding the side of his head. Fingers threaded into his hair, tugging slightly, as he tried to hold himself together in front of her. _I don't want you to hate me! Why is this so difficult?! I just want to talk to you! I just want to protect you and hold you and-!_

Jin tensed as he felt her fingertips gently caress the top of his hand. It had a calming, grounding sort of effect. His thoughts started to clear; all of the contradictions beginning to fade and bringing him back to focus on what he wanted. "That night in the alley…" he started, his eyes returning to her face. "Why didn't you scream or yell? If you had, a hero probably would've reached you faster than me and you wouldn't have that cut on your face."

**Shift P.O.V**

Neneko's lips drew into a frown. She slowly drew her hand back from his, the heat of his skin lingering on her fingertips. The translator lowered her gaze to the tea set on the coffee table and she lifted a hand to hide her mouth. A terrible, sinking feeling set in as she considered his question.

Of course, there was only one answer. However, to explain might be complicated. Worse yet, it might drive him away. There was a reason why she spoke so softly, why she had been picked on in school, why she deliberately avoided people.

"You'll have to forgive me, Bubaigawara-san…my reason for not crying out for help…involves my quirk." Her hand lowered to her throat and her frown deepened as she slouched forward. "My quirk…is a vocal-based one that…has proven more than troublesome in the past. If I speak above a particular volume…my voice carries a note that…has melancholic effects on everyone within earshot."

He seemed confused. It came as no surprise. After all, that made it sound so simple; just avoid making people sad with yelling. It was much worse than making someone a little sad. Neneko contemplated fully explaining herself, but feared that he might leave if he knew the truth.

At the same time, she had a sliver of hope that he might understand. He was a wanted criminal, but he performed such a heroic deed by saving her. He was clearly trying to make amends for past misdeeds. That was probably what his meeting was about. The meeting that she was currently translating the details for.

"My voice…when I speak above a normal volume…hits a pitch that causes everyone that hears it to feel hopelessness and despair…they lose all ambition…they begin to wish they could…disappear or…" Her voice started to quiver and she closed her eyes against the tears that formed. Memories of a certain horrible accident began to resurface and it made her chest tighten.

Neneko was accustomed to people not believing her when she told them why she was unable to raise her voice. Most people assumed that it was due to shyness or some sort of embarrassing throat injury. Some people even challenged her to raise her voice so they would believe her. She braced herself for a reaction like that, mentally preparing herself for rejection.

_He's going to leave. He's going to decide that I'm not worth the trouble of working with or even considering as an ally. I've had it happen so many times in the past. He's going to leave and…I'll be alone again. Though I can't say that I would blame him for leaving._

Neneko had lost relationships due to her quirk. In middle school, her friends often wanted to go to karaoke and she was unable to participate. They became fed up with her refusal to speak up or sing with them so they left. She had lost boyfriends, as well. Due to her silence or soft volume, they decided that she must not really like them or that she was conceited.

"Your voice is…really nice, though. I like it just the way it is."

She lifted her gaze from the tea set, blinking in puzzlement at the man across from her. _Did he…perhaps…could he be teasing me? That expression on his face…so serious…but his eyes…so warm and kind…_Her heart skipped a beat when she saw him rub the back of his neck, a half-smile tugging at his lips.

"I really like your voice the way it is," Bubaigawara continued. "It's calming. It makes me feel…better…" He looked slightly embarrassed by saying this, but at the same time somehow relieved.

"…thank you…you're very kind for saying that…" she murmured, feeling a warmth rush to her face. Looking at him, listening to him, she would never imagine that he was a wanted criminal. It just seemed impossible for someone as kind as him to commit any sort of crime. Though, at the same time, she knew from experience that people can change drastically. For good or for bad.

Neneko continued to work on the translation, diligently attempting to puzzle through what Bubaigawara's contact had sent him. Skimming through it, she saw a multitude of grammar, spelling, and word choice issues that led her to believe that whoever had written the message was actually really terrible at English.

_This part here…appears to be dialogue from that American film Pulp Fiction. Why is that in a message about a meeting? This LOV keeps coming up and I'm not entirely sure what it is. Some sort of organization? I wish I could ask him what this is for, but I have no desire to upset him now. He…looks so content._

While she was working, at some point, her cat had leapt up onto the couch. It was now standing on his lap on its hind legs, the front paws braced against his chest while its face rubbed against his cheek. The man had tensed at first, probably in alarm, but now he was petting the cat and seemed to be rather calm. Quite the contrast to earlier when he had almost seemed pained by his outburst.

The more that she translated from the message, the more she began to uncover. He was meeting with someone by the name of Shigaraki. Neneko chewed at the end of her pen as she stared intently at that name. It was a weird name, to be sure. It almost sounded made up.

_Shigaraki. Is it…the characters for "death", "grip", and "tree"? But what sort of name is that? It's just…__**terrible**__._ Neneko heard a quiet "thud", but continued skimming through what she had translated so far. _Meeting with this Shigaraki person…when? The address. Mah-jongg bar? Why…but this is so peculiar…meeting with someone…at a place like that…the time…?_

She finally completed her work and sat back, feeling rather accomplished and pleased that she finished the task for Bubaigawara. Her gaze settled on the couch across from hers and felt warmth blooming in her cheeks like cherry blossoms.

He had apparently dozed off while she was working. Now he was slumped onto his side on the sofa with her cat curled up beside him. Neneko felt a tightness forming in her chest at the peaceful expression he wore as he slept. She bit her lip and turned her head to the side, silently debating if she should wake him.

_I suppose I should. After all, he probably has someone waiting for him. A family…or a girlfriend…I should wake him and give him the translations._ Neneko half-rose from her seat, but then sat again. She took pictures of the notes using her cellphone, determining to research this "Shigaraki" person.

There was so little that she could offer Bubaigawara as repayment for his kindness, but if she could save him from a potentially dangerous situation then she would do all that she could. The message set her on edge. It was vague in details regarding the actual meeting; instead containing a lot of insignificant bits of information and dialogue from the movie Pulp Fiction. It was just too vague to be trustworthy. As if someone was trying to mislead her valiant new acquaintance.

Neneko stood and approached the couch on the other side of the coffee table. She reached out, preparing to tap his shoulder to wake him. Her hand stopped within a few inches of making contact. Leaning down, she studied his face closely and found herself blushing warmly. _It…certainly would be alright…if I just let him sleep a while longer…?_

She stepped away, still looking down at him. The translator walked to a cupboard and drew out a quilt. It was very carefully settled over her new acquaintance. _Surely I'm being selfish by not waking him, but he…looks so comfortable…and I…_Neneko chewed at her thumbnail as she went to the doorway. _I think that, perhaps, he might understand me…_

**Shift P.O.V**

Jin was unaware of the fact that he had dozed off. He found himself waking up on the couch with a quilt draped over him. It had a faint lavender scent that made him want to go back to sleep, but he was afraid of imposing on her.

Sitting upright, he ran his fingers through his hair and looked at the coffee table. The tea set had been taken away and there was a stack of handwritten notes that appeared to be the translation of Giran's message. Jin examined the delicate, feminine handwriting and he frowned.

It started to sink in quickly and his hands began to shake. Kuroiwa had known he fell asleep. She let him sleep and had even put a blanket over him so he would be comfortable. Her kindness was almost too much for him to handle.

He checked the time on his phone as he got out from beneath the quilt. It was late evening. If he slipped out of the apartment quietly enough, he could leave without bothering her any further. Jin shoved the notes into his pocket and quickly crossed the room for the door.

The second it opened, he was greeted by the smell of something delicious cooking. The doorway across the hallway was open, revealing Neneko standing at a sink with her back to him. She seemed to have heard the tea room door open because she looked over her shoulder and her face turned pink.

"Ah…I apologize, Bubaigawara-san…I should have woken you. I'm sure that you have someone waiting for you. It was…selfish of me to keep you for so long…"

"It's…okay. You know, I wouldn't mind if you kept me forever!" He gritted his teeth, quickly feeling like he was unraveling. Sweat rolled down the side of his face as he held his head and turned away from Kuroiwa. "I can't…stay here! I'm sorry!"

As much as he hated to leave her, he had to. He had to put on his mask and pull himself together. However he promised himself that he would see her again.


	4. Chapter 4

It had been two weeks since that fateful encounter in the alley. Jin decided after the second time that he met with her, it was definitely fate that brought him to that place at that exact moment. They were destined to cross paths. After all, she was his soulmate.

No one else had ever treated him so warmly, so sweetly. Every time he went to see her, she greeted him with admiration in her eyes and offered him whatever comfort she thought might help him feel at ease. She was absurdly considerate and always had chamomile lavender tea ready for him. She never even questioned why he was getting so many messages in English; she actually seemed content with translating for him.

Lying awake at night, he was unable to stop thinking about Kuroiwa. Everything about her was so soft. Her voice, those violet eyes, her fingertips whenever she set her hand on his. Jin subconsciously rubbed the top of his hand as he thought about the last time she touched him there.

He had woken from a dream about the translator and was left with cold disappointment when he woke alone in his hotel bed. Cold. All by himself. He reached for his phone and checked the time. It was nearing midnight so it was too late to even consider calling her or going to see her.

_She's probably asleep_, Jin thought as he let his head fall back onto his pillow. _I don't want to keep bothering her. She loves it! _He grimaced and rubbed at his face. He was remembering his dream now. Remembering how he had held her. Remembering her smile. Of course, he had seen her smile in real life and he loved it. Her smile was timid, sweet, always genuine. She never faked a smile for him.

That lonely, despairing feeling from earlier was increasing with each second that he was awake and away from her. The thought of spending the night by himself, without even hearing her voice that day, made his stomach twist in anxious knots of dread. His pulse began to speed up as he pushed himself to sit upright.

As he moved down the desolate, near-midnight streets, Jin gritted his teeth. He desperately wanted to see the young woman. He wanted even more desperately to embrace her. Certain dangerous, impulsive thoughts came to mind as he quickened his pace.

_She's so light, I could put her over my shoulder. I just want some more of that tea; I don't even care if she's home! I…need to touch her! Ugh! Her skin's dry like a lizard's! I don't want to touch that! No! She's so soft…Neneko…I need to do something! I don't want to scare her! I'm gonna grab her and make her mine! I can't do that! Neneko deserves better than me!_

Jin stumbled into the alley next to her building, clutching his head and slumping against the wall. Sweat beaded along his hairline and he clenched his eyes shut. The conflicting thoughts were almost unbearable. He wanted them to go away. He wanted to feel whole and he wanted to see her.

He began to shake a little, fingers digging into his hair as he tried to keep himself from coming apart. A horrible thought crossed his mind during this moment of emotional agony. Jin imagined himself splitting in front of her. Doubling again and again before falling into chaotic self-mutilation and murder as the various doubles slaughtered each other in front of Kuroiwa. The terrified look she would wear. The tears of horror she would shed.

Digging in his pocket, he dragged his mask out and hurried to put it on. As he felt the black and white fabric slide down over his face, he felt his heart beating at a dangerously quick pace. He had to pull himself together or he felt like he might truly come apart. If that happened, he feared that something horrible might occur and he would never see Kuroiwa again.

The mask was on now and Jin leaned against the wall once more, breathing hard. He waited for his pulse to slow down, attempted to get his breathing under control. The man finally managed to stabilize himself and found himself feeling almost cheerful. "Alright! I'm gonna get her a gift! She's gonna love it! I'll just dig up something out of the trash! That's good enough!"

**Shift P.O.V**

Neneko hid a yawn behind the sleeve of her sweater and apologized to the client she was currently speaking with. Thankfully, he seemed not to care. After all, he had showed up late at night with a document from his boss for her to translate to Korean. "I apologize for the delay…I hope that these translations will get his point across…I used formal speech patterns in my translation."

He accepted the stack of handwritten notes and gave them a quick look through. However, he had no idea how to read Korean so he could only assume that she had done a good job. "Yeah; these look fine." The pale-haired man slid the pages into a large folder and set it on his lap.

The two bowed slightly, both ready for this visit to end. Neneko knew that she was tired and her visitor appeared fatigued as well. He covered a yawn as she tucked a lock of hair behind her ear. "Kurono-san, if that will be all for now. I wish you a safe trip back. Please send him my gratitude for his continuing patronage."

He stood as she did, but hesitated to leave the room. Keeping his eyes on her, the slightest smile curved his lips. There was no warmth to it. No joy. "You've been pretty busy lately. Kind of hard to make contact."

She blinked slowly, still trying to get past the fact that he was attempting a smile. This yakuza member never smiled. He always maintained a blank expression when he visited with work from his boss and when his boss came with him, he wore a mask. The sight of his cold, joyless smile sent a chill down her spine.

_Of course someone would notice that I have been preoccupied. I do realize that I have been shirking my duties to my clients. I have been prioritizing Bubaigawara above all others._ Guilt made her bow her head and she bit at her thumbnail, eyes sliding away from staring at Kurono. "Yes, well. I do apologize for my lack of cooperation. Certain things have come up. You understand, of course."

"You know, if you're seeing a guy, you should probably think about breaking it off. Pretty sure Kai would call that a conflict of interest. You can't do your best for us if you're focused on someone else."

_I…think you may not know what "conflict of interest" actually means._ Not about to correct the yakuza member's words, she simply nodded. "Yes, I understand, Kurono-san. However, there is nothing like that. My work…is my life."

He pulled up the hood on his coat as he finally started toward the door. "If Kai offers you a full time position with us, you should probably take it. A cute, quirk-less girl like you might get hurt if you're talking to the wrong people."

She fully understood the threat meant behind these words. Neneko gave him a nod. Nowadays, she rarely told people the truth about her quirk. Not unless she was in a relationship with them in some way or wished to be close with them. It was just easier that way. "I understand, Kurono-san. If he gives me the opportunity, I will certainly give it great consideration."

**Shift P.O.V**

The plastic bag in his hand rustled with each step. His mask was pushed up, revealing his face so he could enjoy a post-shopping cigarette. Jin looked down at the bag as he came to the end of an alley, still quite pleased with the selection of gifts. When he entered the store, he got a little too excited and just started grabbing various things he thought she might like.

He imagined her thanking him, wrapping her arms around his neck and pulling him into her warm, soft embrace. Just thinking about it got his heart racing. If she did that, he knew he would lose control. He would hug her back and enjoy the translator's gratitude.

What he really wanted was to tell her how much he loved her. If there was any question about it before, there was no doubt about it now. Jin felt his excitement start to fade as he immediately thought that she might reject him. She was a smart woman. Too smart for someone like him and way too well-mannered to bother with a man that was working with the League of Villains.

_She wouldn't want to be with someone like me. She's totally into me! Kuroiwa is too good for me. I don't deserve someone like her._ He swayed a bit as he walked, a hand holding the side of his head as he neared her building. Jin took the utility stairs so he could avoid crossing paths with other people.

It was as he opened the door to her floor that he realized fate had made him want to visit her for a reason. Voices made him pause to open the door the rest of the way. Jin's brow furrowed, mouth twisting into a scowl. He peered out into the hallway and he saw five men.

"Are you sure about this? Someone's gonna hear for sure. I mean, this is an apartment building. And it's not like the walls are soundproof," one guy hissed.

"Look, I've been living here for the past four months. I've never even heard my neighbors. Besides, I'm pretty sure this girl's mute or something. I don't think I've ever heard her talk. And she's got money and she's quirk-less, too. Easy target," another guy explained, smirking.

"How do you know she's got money?"

"I had to borrow something once and I saw into her place. She's loaded. Look, if you're still scared, you can just take some stuff and cut out. I'm gonna have some fun with her."

Jin's blood felt like it was boiling. His heart was racing with adrenaline as he tugged his mask down over his head again. He charged out of the stairway, discarding his plastic shopping bag near the door. The man threw a punch at the guy that seemed to be in charge first, wanting to smash the man's face in. The thought of anyone else touching Kuroiwa, especially against her will, made him absolutely seethe.

The guy's friends tried to pull Jin off of him, but one was met with a kick to the face and another found his elbow driving into their gut. Unfortunately, another one circled around and smashed their fist into Jin's face. He reeled back in pain and shook his head before charging forward once more.

Jin took a lot of damage. He did his best to dodge the worst of the punches and kicks, but still found himself bloody and bruised. He put his back to Kuroiwa's door, determined to keep them from entering her home. _I wasn't able to stop her from getting scarred last time, but there's no way I'm letting these guys get to her! I just don't know how much more I can take before I get destroyed!_

The man that was apparently Kuroiwa's neighbor rushed at him, slamming him back against the door and ramming his fist into Jin's stomach over and over. The back of his head smacked against her door from the force, but he clung to consciousness. He lifted a knee sharply into his opponent's groin and grabbed the back of the man's neck. Jin turned and slammed the man's head into the wall, hard.

His breathing was ragged, his injuries throbbing as he looked at the others. The neighbor was now a crumpled heap on the floor of the hallway. Glaring at them from behind his mask, he felt another rush of adrenaline. "Okay, who wants to go next?! Come on! Let's all be friends! Who wants a hug?"

**Shift P.O.V**

Kurono had been gone for about an hour. Neneko had gone to bed and was woken by a commotion outside of her apartment. Fearing that her yakuza associates might have actually turned some men loose to try to frighten her into joining them full time, she grabbed a large knife from the kitchen and approached the door. She looked out through the peep hole and recognized her next door neighbor. The others were strangers, but the masked man with his back to her door seemed to be attempting to keep the others away.

A loud thud sounded at her door as a fist drove into the man's stomach. His attacker took a step back and the masked man slid down the door, going motionless. Neneko saw the others quickly running to the stairs and disappearing. She waited a moment before cautiously opening her door and crouching down to check on the masked man. Instantly, her eyes widened as she recognized the blue button-up shirt as being Bubaigawara's.

Neneko moved without thinking and slid her arms beneath his. She struggled, but managed to drag him into the apartment. The door was closed and locked. The knife was tossed aside and she knelt on the floor to carefully remove his mask. His face was bruised and bleeding, but this was without a doubt Bubaigawara Jin.

Her chest felt tight as she reached trembling fingers toward his face. Neneko's fingertips gently brushed along his bruised cheek, tears in her eyes as she stared down at him. "…Jin…" she whispered, in a near-whimper. "…please…"

She gently wrapped her arms around him again to pull his head onto her lap and she used her sleeve to try to wipe away the blood. Her sweater sleeve was quickly becoming damp along the hem. The translator leaned down closer, her fingers trailing gently through the man's messy blond hair. "…please…" she repeated. "…wake up…please…be alright…Jin…"

His mouth twitched a bit at the corner and he gritted his teeth. A quiet groan could be heard as he moved a little. Gradually, consciousness was returning to him and he soon seemed to realize what was happening. His eyes snapped open and he stared up into her teary violet eyes, his lips parting as he saw the woman's despair and worry. "K-Kuroiwa…"

Neneko wanted to ask why he was there. She wanted to know why he put himself in such danger, if he was alright. However, these desires soon faded away as his arms wrapped around her and she was pulled down into his embrace.


	5. Chapter 5

_I'm dead. I've got to be dead. There's no way this is happening. This is happening and it's the best!_ He was sure that he must have been destroyed. The men in the hallway had to have damaged his body badly enough that he came apart and now this was some sort of beautiful afterlife. It was the only way he could rationalize what was happening.

Opening his eyes to find Kuroiwa looking down at him with such concern, such sadness. Feeling her soft thighs beneath his head and her fingertips caressing the side of his face. It had to be heaven so he, in a burst of confidence since he was sure that he was dead, threw his arms around her to pull her down to him.

Silky obsidian hair fell around his face as he held her. It was an awkward position for both of them and he really wished that it was different so he could bring her even closer, but he was not about to complain. She smelled like lavender and her skin was warm, even through the soft material of her sleeping shirt.

"Ngh." Jin felt a throbbing in his face and his hold on her began to loosen. The warmth he had felt from holding her faded, goose bumps rising on his skin as he realized that he was wrong. Jin was, in fact, alive. The "angel" he was holding really was Kuroiwa and his head was resting on her lap.

This realization had his heart racing insanely fast and he froze in place with his arms still around her. _If I let go of her, she's going to say something! I don't want her to get mad at me! But if I don't let go, she'll think I'm a creep! I could hold her forever! I have to let go! I'm not letting go of her until I'm ready! _He failed to notice that his arms were tightening around her.

Kuroiwa placed a hand against his shoulder, but she was trembling. "Ah…Bubaigawara-san, I apologize…could you perhaps…?"

"I'm sorry," he said through gritted teeth. He released her and immediately turned his head to the side when she leaned up again. Jin wanted to look at her. He wanted to know that she held no anger toward him. However, the man simply could not bear the thought of her possibly looking at him with repulsion. His face was a mess and he knew it.

She saw the troubled expression he wore and, to his surprise, she began trailing her fingers through his hair again. "I apologize…if I had acted swiftly, I might have prevented you from losing consciousness…"

It was now that he noticed the glinting object in the distance, on the floor. A large kitchen knife. The sight of it conjured up an image that made his heart swell with even more love. The idea of her coming to his defense, holding the knife and preventing the be assailants from injuring him further. It made him want to hold her again.

"You're…an angel," he muttered. Unfortunately, this sweet sentiment was immediately followed by something terrible. "What kind of demon lets a guy get hurt this bad in the first place?!"

A rosy blush came to her cheeks and she looked away. "Bubaigawara-san, if you could forgive my forwardness earlier…calling you by your first name without your permission…breaking the barrier of professionalism…I apologize. I need to…if I could make it up to you…by tending to your wounds. I would be grateful."

She was asking him so timidly. As if he would be doing her a favor by letting her take care of him. The reality of it was that the thought of her taking care of him brought the man a rush of happiness. No one had ever treated him as kindly as she did and she was only becoming sweeter and sweeter.

**Shift P.O.V**

Once he was settled on a couch in the tea room, Neneko went to retrieve the first aid kit from her bathroom. It was rare that she had to use it, but was now glad that she always kept it fully stocked. She paused to set a kettle of water to boil, selecting a simple chamomile tea to help soothe him.

It was embarrassing to be seen in her nightshirt. The sleepwear was a long pale gray shirt that reached to just a few inches above her knees. Something simple. Something she never wore in front of others because it showed too much skin. She wanted to get something from her room to put on, to cover more, but she did not want to leave her guest alone for long in his current state.

Kneeling in front of him on the floor, she reached up with a wet cloth to wipe away the blood. His nose was gushing red so she gave him a tissue to press against it. Thankfully, his attackers appeared to have been unarmed. There were no visible cuts; just a few abrasions and deep bruises.

She still had no idea why it had happened. Her neighbor had been out there, along with four other men. Just remembering the way they brutalized her friend made her seethe. She hoped that they fell down the stairs when they ran away. She hoped that something awful happened to them.

Neneko went to get the kettle, some cups, and an ice pack from her fridge. Upon returning to the tea room, she found her cat standing on the arm of the couch and nuzzling against the man's cheek. "Yori, no. Get down," she said, softly yet firmly. The cat's tail flicked in agitation, but hopped onto the floor.

"I apologize. Since she was a kitten, I'm afraid that I've spoiled her."

"Its…fine." He held his head, grimacing in pain.

She lifted the ice pack and gently placed it against a deep bruise on his left temple. The muscles in his neck tensed, a faint twitch beneath his eye as his frown deepened. "What…happened, Bubaigawara-san? I saw my neighbor in the corridor with you…as well as some other men…"

"They were planning to break in," he muttered, keeping his eyes directed anywhere expect for on her. "They were going to hurt you and I couldn't let them do that!"

The woman blinked and began to frown. Her free hand lifted to cover her mouth as she slowly drew the ice pack away. "You…were injured this badly…because you were coming to my defense again. Bubaigawara-san, you…really are too noble of a man. Did you know that those men were unarmed?"

"No," he confessed. "I just…I couldn't let you get hurt. They were going to-!" He held his head with both hands now, eyes closing tightly and teeth gritting. "I'm sorry! _I'm_ not!"

"Bubaigawara-san…?" Neneko bit her lip as her hand dropped from over her mouth. She wanted to tell him that she knew. That she had done her research, used her shadier connections, and that she knew how dangerous his associate Shigaraki was. Someone with a name that sounded evil and made up. Someone with a wicked heart and mind. Someone with so much hatred that he wished death upon the symbol of peace.

She wanted to protect her valiant friend. She wanted to stop him from working with Shigaraki. However, just like when she peered out the peep hole at the fight in her hallway, she was afraid. This was not a fear for her life and safety though. This was a fear of being left alone again. If she told him that she was looking into the people he worked with, he might be angered and decide to never speak to her again.

"Please…I never want you to put yourself in danger for my benefit again," she quietly spoke. As she said this, an idea began to form. Something terrifying, but something that made her heart skip a beat.

**Shift P.O.V**

As she tended to his wounds, Jin had to keep his hands curled into fists at his side. Having the woman take such good care of him and speak to him so kindly was almost too much for his heart to handle. Coupling that with the way she was dressed, he was soon distracted from the pain of his bruises.

Her bare skin was so pale. Like the petals of a lily. She smelled like lavender each time she got close to him and he had to fight the urge to grab her waist and pull her in for a hug.

_I can't promise her I'll never do it again. I won't let anyone hurt her. She's got a strong quirk! She can fend for herself! No! She needs me! She needs me to protect her! _He opened his eyes, focusing on her as she poured two cups of tea. Her movements were so graceful, even with her hands shaking. "…I love you…" he mumbled, bowing his head.

"Ah…did you…say something, Bubaigawara-san?" She tilted her head as she offered him a cup of chamomile tea. The woman's violet eyes seemed to stare directly into his gray-blue ones before she smiled shyly.

Taking the cup from her, his free hand rubbed behind his neck. "I said thanks. You seriously didn't hear me?! Ngh!" He downed the cup of tea swiftly, ignoring the way it scorched his throat. Anything to keep himself from blurting that out again. Anything to keep himself from scaring her off.

Kuroiwa did not sit on the couch across from him. Instead, she sat beside him and gave the man a look of concern. "Bubaigawara-san? Are you alright? I can get some painkillers if you are in too much pain. I don't believe you have a concussion, but you do have some severe bruising that may be-"

"You…called me "Jin" before."

"Ah…? Oh. Yes, I apologize for that. It was very forward of me to address you that way. I will be more professional in the future so-"

"No! I mean, I…_want_ you to call me "Jin"." He watched from the corner of his eye as she flushed pink and lowered her gaze to her lap. _I want her to like me! I want her to want to be with me! Why is this so difficult?! I'm going to mess everything up! She's totally into me! She can't stop blushing! Why did I think a woman like her would want someone like me?! I don't deserve-!_

"…Jin…"

The sound of his name being said in that soft, whispery voice made his heart pound faster. There was a rush of warmth that settled in his stomach and below that. He let her take his cup from him and set it on the coffee table before he could drop it. Something about the way her fingertips brushed over his hand, the way she had spoken his name. It had him fighting back stronger urges now.

"If you would like, if you want me to call you "Jin", then…perhaps you could call me "Neneko"?" she offered. A delicate hand settled on his left knee, sending shockwaves through him where she touched. "I apologize if that sounds presumptuous."

"Neneko." Jin tested the name and decided that he loved it. He loved everything about the translator; from her soft voice and touch to her name. _My soulmate. She's perfect for me. She's got her bad points. _He looked to where her hand still rested on his knee and he felt a slight twitch beneath his eye.

It was becoming overwhelming. All of this happiness as well as the pain from his injuries. He stared to feel it. Like he was splitting apart. The bliss conflicting with the pain and tearing away at him like a maniac with a knife. He gritted his teeth and forced himself to look away from her. A hand lifted to his face as he stared down at the floor.

_I need my mask! I don't need that dumb thing! Where is it?! She saw me wearing it! What does she think about that? She probably thinks I'm crazy! I'm totally crazy! I have to find it! I don't want to put that gross, bloody thing on again!_ Shaking his head, he stood and forced her hand off of his knee. "My mask…?" he choked.

"I apologize for removing it. I was worried about your injuries. Just a moment." Neneko walked to the hallway and returned with his mask held gently in her delicate fingers. It left her fingertips smudged red. "Ah…Jin…" The pink hue in her cheeks and slight curve of her lips made his heart skip a beat. "Your mask…could use a wash. If you could stay for a bit, I could scrub the blood-"

"It's fine." He grabbed it out of her hands and shoved it into his pocket. _I've got to get out of here before I do something stupid! She's so light, I could just pick her up and-! No! Damn it! I can't…do that to her! Neneko!_ He dragged his fingers through his hair, trying to distract himself as he looked away from the woman.

"Have I done something wrong?" she inquired, following him to the apartment door. There was worry in her tone and fear in her eyes when he looked over his shoulder. Her fingers were now anxiously running along a lock of her long obsidian hair as she awaited his reply.

If he told her how he felt, she would probably run. She would hate him. She would force him to leave. This was what he thought anyway. Jin could not lose her. The comfort, the love. These were things that he needed desperately and he only wanted them from Kuroiwa Neneko. He grabbed her shoulders and stared down at her, the shadows in the hallway making his scar look deeper. "You didn't do anything. I've just got to go. I'll…be back if I get another message in English."

The door was opened and Jin went to retrieve the bag he had dropped near the stairs before the fight. As he checked to make sure that nothing had been stolen, he heard her quiet footsteps approaching from behind. "I can't stay-"

"Do you…perhaps…would you like to learn English?"

Jin looked back at her, eyebrows furrowed as he tried to register what exactly she was implying. It almost seemed like she was saying she no longer wanted to translate for him, but in different terms. The thought of breaking contact with her instantly made him feel weak.

"I meant that…you might…enjoy learning English so you could translate on your own one day. Of course, I…would gladly teach you English, but…you would need to come here more often…if that is something that would interest you…"


	6. Chapter 6

She hated to go out. She was always afraid of going into public, in case something happened that would cause her to accidentally raise her voice. As Neneko put on a jacket, her fingers trembled and she bit her lip.

This was something that she had to do. An unavoidable necessity. Even with this knowledge, she felt her stomach twisting in knots. She felt the cat brush against her leg and looked down for reassurance. The cat's large amber eyes stared back at her before it released a meow.

A knock at the apartment door made her lift her gaze and tense up. Neneko's steps were hesitant as she approached the door to greet her guest. She bowed slightly once the door was open. "Thank you…for accompanying me today, Kita-kun."

The young man offered a smile. He was always polite with her, always friendly. Though it was hard to tell sometimes if he actually liked working for her or if he was only acting nice because he was being paid so well. She often suspected that her money played a large part in how he treated her.

"Kuroiwa-san, are you sure you need to go? I can pick up whatever you need."

She stepped outside, locking the door behind her. A wary glance was cast toward her neighbor's door. Without a word, she began walking toward the elevator with her assistant following close behind. Only when they were on their way to the first floor did she speak again. "This is…a necessary unpleasantness. Something that I must do in order to achieve a goal."

Kita offered his arm, beaming cheerfully when she slid her arm to link with his. "So what's this for? We've got a list of places we're going today, right?"

Neneko gave a small nod, her free hand lifting so she could nervously chew at her thumbnail. _This is the first step towards my goal. This is going to be a truly terrifying path that I am moving down. So many variables to consider and so many things that I will need to encounter. This will truly be a test of my ability to remain calm, but this is a necessary inconvenience._

"Kita-kun, your family…how are they?" she asked as they stepped out of the elevator. She stayed close beside the college student, albeit with reluctance. Neneko wished that she was bold enough to walk alone. To go on these errands without accompaniment. After all, this was not the typical grocery run that he might be sent on; this was something special. There was no reason for him to need to go with her.

He brightened more and began talking about his family's farm in the country. He spoke of their chickens, of his mother's cooking, of his sickly father. When he brought up the possibility of having to move back, his expression fell to a bitter frown. "I worked so hard to get here and now I'm probably going to have to go back."

Neneko was walking with her head bowed and let her eyes slide to the side, watching him. "That is…quite unfortunate, Kita-kun. Though, you know, you could find work similar to mine where you could telecommute."

"Oh, I couldn't do what you do, Kuroiwa-san! I've got to be around people! I hate when it's too quiet!"

"…I see…" She returned to her thoughts, attempting to focus on where they were going and what they were doing. She was not a bold person. Far from it; Neneko preferred to avoid human contact as much as possible so there would be no chance of hurting someone with her quirk. Despite this, there was someone that she did not want to ever lose contact with.

Her chest felt tight as she remembered that horrible night. Cowering as Jin was injured and dragging his unconscious body into her apartment only after the assailants had fled. She felt almost sick to her stomach with guilt each time she thought about it. When it occurred to her that he could have died that night, the woman was brought close to tears.

_I can't let anything happen to him. I wish that I could tell him how I feel. I just…want to do all that I can in order to keep him safe. What I would love, more than anything else, is to be able to make him smile._ Neneko nodded to herself as she moved closer to Kita. "I don't suppose that…you have someone that you are fond of, Kita-kun. Or perhaps you do."

"Eh? S-sort of, yeah." He grinned and rubbed the back of his head. "I mean, there's a girl I like."

"I see…and you have confessed your feelings to her, correct? Could I trouble you to tell me how you told her?"

"Oh! Uh, well, I haven't actually told her yet." The young man released a nervous laugh. "You know how it is, right? I mean, every time I think about her, I get butterflies in my stomach!"

"I see…" Neneko's hair fell forward, hiding her expression from him. _Butterflies in the stomach. Such a common phrase used to convey feelings of excitement and love._ Picturing Jin's face as he attempted to read some of the English words in one of his messages, she felt like her stomach did a flip.

_A noble man such as him. He deserves someone much better than a recluse that can hardly speak above a whisper. At the very least, he deserves someone who can protect him._ She bit her lip as they arrived at their first destination and swallowed her nervousness. _I will…I am determined to…become a woman deserving of a man like him!_

**Shift P.O.V**

A few days had passed since he was injured and he was still healing. Jin was standing at the bathroom mirror, turning his face and trying to determine if the bruises were fading faster than last time. He wanted to go see her, but not if he looked as bad as he did that night. As much as he liked it when she took care of him, he felt guilty about making her do it.

He had gone through a lot of pain, but he had no regrets. It scared him to imagine what might have happened to Neneko if he had been better at fighting the urge to see her. The terrible things that her neighbor and his friends might have done to her. Thinking about it both terrified and angered him.

Some good had come from it though. When Neneko offered to teach him English, he was quick to accept. It meant, as she explained it, that he would need to visit a little more and they would be spending more time together for lessons. Before that night, Jin had no desire to learn English, but now he was excited for it.

_It doesn't look that bad. Nasty!_ He gripped the edge of the sink tightly, teeth gritting. _No…I look fine. Yeah, I look like I got hit by a truck. _Jin shook his head and released a growl of frustration.

He grabbed his mask from the top of the television, as well as the handkerchief that Neneko had given him when they first met. Falling onto his back on the bed, he set the mask aside and lifted the handkerchief. He stared at the floral pattern and felt the corner of his mouth draw up into a half-smile. It looked dainty. Delicate. Just like her.

His phone started to ring, but he just wanted to stay where he was. He was tired and he wanted to just relax as he continued to heal. However, the name on the phone screen was one that he should not ignore. This could be important. After all, his meeting with the rest of the League of Villains was coming up.

"Hey, took you long enough to answer. That was, what, five rings? Am I interrupting something?" Giran sounded entirely too amused. As if this might be the highlight of his day.

Jin moved his free hand, dropping the handkerchief and grabbing the mask. "I'm not busy."

"Good, good. You haven't asked me to send you anything for a while so I got kinda worried, you know."

"Worried? I don't need your pity! Sorry…I didn't-"

"It's fine, it's fine. I just thought you might've changed your mind so I wanted to touch base with you, Bubaigawara. You're still going to the little gathering, right?"

"Yeah, I'm…going to be there." He sat up and looked down at his mask. "I'll be there. Or maybe I won't!"

There was a pause and then an exasperated sigh. "Hey, I know you've got a life outside of the League, but you want to talk about what's going on with you?"

"There's nothing going on. I met the prettiest girl!" Jin covered his mouth with a hand, brow furrowing as he fought against himself. Part of him wanted so desperately to tell Giran about Neneko, but part of him knew that he had to keep her a secret. A quirk like hers would be seen as a prize by Shigaraki and he wanted to keep Neneko safe. If she got caught up in the League of Villains, her life would immediately be put in danger.

"A pretty girl, huh? You'll have to introduce me," Giran said. The grin could be felt through his voice.

"No! I can't…she isn't supposed to know about-"

"Oh, I get it. She can't know the real you, can she?"

Giran was wrong. Neneko had seen the real Jin many times and each time, she was accepting of him. Overwhelmingly, sweetly, patiently accepting of him. He still found it hard to believe how well she understood him, but she did. She always knew what he meant, despite his outbursts, and she was never offended by what he said. He had never expected to meet someone that could so completely accept him for who he was, but Kuroiwa Neneko did.

When the call ended, he sighed in frustration and rubbed at his face. He wanted to see her again. He was remembering how she had taken care of his wounds, how she had let his head rest on her lap. The lavender scent, the softness and warmness. He wanted to be with her again. He wanted her.

Shoving his mask into his pocket and grabbing the bag of gifts for Neneko, he hurried off to go to her apartment. His pace was quick, pausing only at crosswalks and to occasionally light a cigarette. They could normally make him feel better, but now they were failing him.

It was during a cigarette break that he spotted something that made his heart drop into his stomach. Jin's cigarette fell from his lips, landing on the cement below and smoldering as he stared down the sidewalk at two figures. He had the sudden strong urge to run.

Neneko's arm was linked with a young man's and the young man in question was carrying multiple shopping bags in his free hand. The translator had her head bowed, but was clearly biting her lip as her companion excitedly told her about something. The young man was younger than Jin and had a pleasant, happy look on his face while he talked.

_She's…with someone? No way! That's gotta be her brother or something! She has her arm linked with his. This can't be happening. What a cute couple, right?! No! Neneko…why…? How long has she been seeing that guy? He looks pretty smart!_

**Shift P.O.V**

The translator was eager to get home and go through her spoils. The components needed to be stowed away carefully until she needed them. Some of it might need some work, of course, but she knew it was worth it.

_Do it for him_, she thought to herself. _I will…do whatever it takes in order to keep him safe. I can only hope that I may repay him for the kindness that he has extended toward me. Though I know my limitations; I am weak and I am certainly no hero. The best that I might do is aid him when he requires assistance._

Neneko finished putting away her items and frowned, staring at the things hanging up in her closet. _I have so many things that I must do before that day arrives. I should practice for it, but I must confess that I feel rather…anxious. I wish that I had the amount of courage that Jin possesses._ The cat rubbed against her right calf and she jolted. Being outside among people had left her feeling jumpy. "Yori…?"

The cat meowed loudly and trotted out of her bedroom, moving toward the apartment door. Kita had already gone home so when the feline pawed at the door, she found herself raising an eyebrow. "Yori…what could it be that has your attention?" She approached and stood on tiptoe to peek out through the peephole.

Her sharp violet gaze was met with the sight of Jin in the hallway beyond, pacing and mumbling to himself. He was carrying a plastic shopping bag that caught her eye and Neneko hesitantly reached for the lock on the door.

She opened the door slightly, peering out at Jin while he held his head and growled to himself. "Jin…if I may…could I perhaps convince you to come inside?"

He paused and stared at her as the color drained from his face. "N-Neneko, I…ngh…I wanted to see you, but I…" His fingers dug into his hair as he closed his eyes. "I just wanted to see you."

The young woman felt her pulse racing as she met his gaze. He looked pained. The bruises were still healing and he was clearly in distress. She saw past the pain, though. Neneko could see warmth, yearning. It made her flush pink and, before she could stop herself, the translator was briskly walking out into the hallway to make a bold move. The bravest thing she had done in quite some time.

She wrapped her arms around his midsection, her cheek pressing against his chest and her ears filling with the rapid beating of his heart. Warmth and excitement bloomed within her as she felt his arms hesitantly wrap around her. His hold gradually tightened and she smiled shyly. The hug felt so secure, so sweet.


	7. Chapter 7

NeonHorizon: I write from Twice's P.O.V. so often that I sometimes forget who the main character of this is supposed to be.

* * *

_Is this really okay?_ He followed her into the apartment with hesitation, frowning deeply. _I don't have anything for her to translate. I'm probably bothering her._ Jin had started to feel happy when she hugged him, but now he remembered that thing he saw earlier. That horrible thing that made his heart drop.

He listened carefully for any male voices as he stepped into the apartment. Seeing her walk alongside another man, with her arm linked with his, made Jin break out in a cold sweat of panic. If she was dating that guy, he would have to distance himself. It was only natural that he would have to admit defeat if she was already in a relationship.

To his relief, the apartment was silent with the exception of her cat meowing at him from the floor. "I'm sorry. I should've called …"

"Ah. No, no…it's…quite alright. In fact, I'm very pleased that you decided to visit. It…always brightens my day to see you, Jin."

In that moment, his heart started to beat so fast that he thought it might burst. Trying to maintain his composure was proving difficult. He ran a hand through his hair, turning his head to the side and allowing himself a half-smile. _She's happy to see me? Do I really…brighten her day? Yeah, this girl's out of her mind!_

"This way. I was…actually about to start making dinner. If you want to eat with me, I would be pleased to have you."

"Th-thanks." He let her lead him down the corridor to a door he had never gone through before. Since he first began visiting, she had only showed him the tea room and part of the kitchen. Jin was very surprised when she opened the door to reveal a room with a large, plush couch and a television with a big screen. There were a lot of shelves in this room, lined with various movies.

"Just…if you don't mind…while I finish preparing our food, you can select a film and we could…watch it to entertain us while we eat." Neneko smiled shyly just seconds before hiding it behind a sweater-hidden hand. The pink hue on her cheeks was quite obvious against the rest of her pale face.

Now left alone in the room, he sat on the couch and set down the bag he had brought with him. The cushions were just as comfortable as they looked. Soft, but not too soft. A nice fabric. Much nicer than the couches in the tea room.

Leaning back, trying to force himself to relax, Jin released a sigh. _How big is this place?_ He remembered seeing other doors in the corridor as well. Now he was wondering if the young man he had seen her with was actually in one of the other rooms of the apartment.

The thought made him grimace and he held his head in his hands. Thinking about Neneko being with that guy made him feel conflicted. Too many emotions swirled around in his head as he remembered what he saw. If that guy made her happy, he should be happy for her. He knew that. He wanted her to be happy and safe so he would need to be supportive. However, it still hurt him to imagine not being with her. Not seeing her cute, shy smiles. Not hearing her soft, whispery voice. Not feeling her warm, gentle touch.

Heartbreak started to bubble up and it blended with a surge of anger. Jin dug in his pocket and drew his mask out. By now, the man's hands were trembling. "…Neneko…I can't…lose you…I don't want you to hate me…I just want another hug…I can't stand this! I feel like I'm splitting! Ngh!" He put a hand to his head, gritting his teeth as he struggled to keep himself together.

**Shift P.O.V**

_Tea. Which kind? Perhaps something slightly sweet to compliment the salty flavor of the soy sauce in this. I do wish that I knew what sort of tea he prefers. He seems to enjoy chamomile, though that's the only tea I've made for him._ Neneko bit at her thumbnail, frowning as she looked at the selection of boxes in her cupboard.

The woman tilted her head, long obsidian locks falling over one eye. _I suppose could always ask him what sort of tea he prefers. Perhaps I should start buying coffee. He did say that he wanted coffee when he first visited._ She lowered her gaze and released a quiet sigh.

Neneko was shaking from nervousness. Not just from pushing her bravery earlier when she hugged him, but from thinking about what she had to do. What was necessary in order to keep him safe. _Before I make an absolute decision, I should simply ask him not to do it. I can tell him that I wish for him to be safe. He will understand, won't he? Though…to say such a thing to him. He may construe my words as a confession of admiration. I do admire him…_

"Neneko! You look so cute when you're deep in thought! You're gonna get wrinkles if you make that face!"

Before she could turn around, alarmed by this exclamation behind her, Neneko found arms encircling her waist and pulling her back tight against a toned chest. She was lifted off her feet as he leaned down, a fabric-covered cheek rubbing against hers. Neneko's hands moved on reflex, gripping his and trying to steady herself somehow.

_Jin?! Is he…what…is this…?_ His chest felt warm against her back, his hold on her secure. It made heat rise to her cheeks and she felt a warm wetness trail over her lips from her nose. She lifted a hand to hide her bleeding nose, even more embarrassed to realize that a simple hug gave her a nosebleed.

The translator was hugged tightly for a moment, while she still tried to stop the blood from gushing from her nose. When he finally set her down and turned her to face him, the eye parts of his mask seemed to indicate that he was alarmed. "Neneko?! Hey, now! What's with the bloody nose? Are you having dirty thoughts about me? That's so cute! Ewww! Creepy!"

She bit her lip, tasting her own blood, and shook her head as she tried to step back. Her lower back pressed against the counter's edge and a hand planted on the marble surface beside her. The man in the black and pale gray mask leaned down, effectively caging her in place, and she was forced to meet his stare through the mask. Her face was so hot now that it felt like it was probably glowing red.

"I-I can assure you…Jin, I would never…impure thoughts…such as that…I assure you…I would never…" she stammered, going in circles.

His free hand gripped her shoulder as he brought his mask-hidden face closer to hers. "That's a lot of blood! Nah! It's not that bad!" He lifted his other hand from the counter and wiped beneath her nose with his sleeve for a minute before realizing that the hem of his sleeve was now soaked crimson. "Gross!"

Neneko shook her head again, trying to shake herself out of her moment of embarrassed silence. "Your sleeve…Jin…I apologize for the mess. Allow me to wash this before the stain sets."

He tilted his head and then stepped back, raising both hands. "Whoa! Are you trying to get my shirt off?! Not gonna happen! If you wanted to see, you should've just said so!"

Most of the time when his words conflicted with themselves, she was still able to tell what he meant. This was one of those times when she was wrong. She expected him to continue refusing, but soon found him unbuttoning the blue button-up shirt he was wearing.

Turning her head to the side, her nose done bleeding now, she anxiously ran her fingers along a lock of her hair. Of course, even with her head turned, she could see his build from the corner of her eye. The tank top under his button-up shirt clung to him and gave her a really good view. The blush remained intact on her cheeks as she held out a trembling hand to accept the piece of clothing.

No questions were asked regarding his mask. Not at this point. It was a little confusing that he was suddenly wearing it, but something told Neneko that she would be better off not asking yet. She treated the area that was soaked with her blood and finished preparing dinner, all while her valiant friend stayed by her side.

With the mask on, Jin acted different. Energetic. Cheerful. Loud. It was a sharp contrast to the way he usually acted. Though Neneko found that she liked this side of him as well. He was more talkative and, thus, she was able to learn a little more about his likes and dislikes. He seemed excited and more than happy to answer any questions she had.

_So strange. Such a contrast._ She frowned to herself as she carried their dinner to the television room, carefully avoiding tripping over the cat. The translator glanced toward her friend as he picked the cat up, maneuvering it onto his shoulder. _He's…so peculiar. I want to know more. I'm afraid of becoming an annoyance, though. And…more perplexing than anything else…I had such a lewd reaction to a simple hug!_

He was petting the cat and seemed to decide she was jealous because he swept her into a hug the second she had set the tray of plates down. "Awww! There's plenty of love to go around, Neneko! Ugh! You smell like tea leaves!"

Her heart skipped a beat as she felt his left arm press against her lower back, pinning her against him so there was more contact made than last time. The woman's slender, pale hands planted on his shoulders as she tried to keep herself from potentially slipping from his arms and falling. "Ah! Jin…you…startled me."

"Ugh! You're too cute! Quit looking at me like that! I just love you so much!"

_Love…?!_ Warmth rapidly spread throughout her and she stared up at where his eyes were behind the mask. The heat of his bare shoulders under her fingertips was suddenly making her stomach do flips. _Does he…love me?_ The thought made her feel exceptionally happy, but at the same time she knew she had to focus. If he loved her, she might able to convince him not to do what he was planning to do.

**Shift P.O.V**

Seeing her blush so red, holding her so close. If he had left his mask behind, there would be no way he could do this with her without feeling like he might come apart. The bliss from just holding Neneko was enough to make his heart speed past any pace he felt before. She made him feel like he might burst from happiness.

Of course, he had to try not to think about it now. Sitting with his mask off, a little embarrassed at wearing it in front of her, he found himself frowning. It was so hard not to think about how she made him feel when she was sitting less than two feet away from him and had made dinner for him.

Despite being so distracted, he was able to appreciate the meal. It tasted really good and he could tell that she put a lot of work into it. Jin was unable to remember the last time someone cooked for him so he appreciated it just that much more. As good as the food was, though, a thought was looming over him.

It ate away at him through the meal and he fought with himself over bringing it up. He needed to know. He needed answers. Neneko asked him what movie he wanted to watch and he told her, through gritted teeth, that she should pick. A comedy was selected and he soon found her sitting closer than before.

Neneko had stood to set up the movie to play. When she sat again, it was right beside him. So close that her thigh touched his. Whether this was on purpose or on accident, it still made him begin to sweat and clench the muscles in his jaw. It went unnoticed by her, thankfully, but he had to combat the urge to pull her onto his lap. The desire to cuddle with her while the movie played was extremely strong.

"Are you…afraid of me?" he finally forced out. "You saw me with the mask-"

"I…could never be afraid of you," she assured him. A hand rested on his knee and a shy smile graced her blushing features. "You…are a brave, noble man, Jin. You're a good man. So I could never be afraid of you. I understand that life can be rather complicated."

He wanted to smile back. The warmth of her fingertips against his knee, even through the fabric of his pants, was enough to stir something in him. "Good." On the inside, he allowed himself to be relieved. She was a good person. Not a cheater. Not a villain. Not a wanted criminal. If Neneko was in a relationship, there was no way she would be treating him this way.

Her smile fell and it almost made him wince. "However…on that note…Jin, I'm afraid that I must ask something of you. I do apologize, but when I translated your notes from your contact…I did read the translations. This LOV…and Shigaraki…if I could…selfishly make a request of you, could I ask that you please rethink your association with them? It seems unsafe and I-"

"I-I can't." Jin's chest felt tight as he said this. He could hear the concern in her soft, whispery voice and it broke his heart to refuse her anything. This was something he had to do though. He had made a promise and the League of Villains would help him to be able to live as himself and not have to hide. As much as he loved Neneko, he had to grit his teeth and refuse her request.

"…I see…" She drew her legs up so her knees were against her chest and she was basically curled up in a ball. Neneko chewed at her thumbnail, a rather distressed expression on her face. "I…yes, but I suppose it makes sense…a man of virtue…would be true to his word…it _is_ admirable…" she mumbled to herself.

It hurt to know he had upset her, but at the same time, Jin was unable to look past the fact that she looked unbelievably cute in her current position. He really wanted to get closer to her, however he stopped himself. The last thing he wanted was to further upset her and make her dislike him.

Several minutes passed in which she seemed to be mumbling quietly to herself. Quick, elaborate words that Jin only sometimes understood so he thought they might be English. Her words finally faded. It was only when she slumped against his side that he realized she was asleep. He rubbed at the back of his neck, glanced toward the doorway, and let his arm slide around her to keep her close.


	8. Chapter 8

A boring sort of day. A drab, yet calm, sort of day. Neneko frowned and glanced at her phone, hoping that perhaps she had failed to hear it chime with a message. There was nothing.

She toyed with a lock of her hair, thinking about how it had been before. Dreading visitors. Dreading phone calls and video chats with clients. Of course, she still feared those things. There was just an exception now. Bubaigawara Jin was the exception. She enjoyed his visits and she had even had her assistant pick up some coffee when he got her groceries again.

Neneko's gaze flitted to the time and date, her frown growing deeper. The day was drawing nearer. She had to act soon if she wanted to help him. For the past few days, she had been practicing every chance she got. Preparing. Dreading. It was a necessary inconvenience.

Returning to the document open on her computer, she continued working on the translation with her attention divided. She was trying to determine the best time to make her move. Waiting too long would run the risk of being unable to help, but moving too fast would leave her open for the chance of being discovered.

The document was translated and she sent it back to the business owner, allowing herself a small smile of satisfaction. Though some of her clients were shady, she did work with legitimate businesses sometimes. This one happened to be a small business that was attempting to expand and sell their products overseas. By translating for them, she was helping them grow their company.

Neneko decided to call it quits for the day. It was late afternoon by this point and she wanted to relax. There were movies she wanted to watch, tea she wanted to enjoy. As she looked through her collection of tea, she heard a knock at the apartment door.

Her heart skipped a beat and she swiftly, but quietly, padded down the hallway to the door. She hoped to find Jin when she looked through the peep hole, but to her dismay, it was a stranger. An odd stranger with an unlit cigarette hanging from his mouth. "Ah…can I…help you, sir?"

The man grinned sheepishly, leaning closer to the door. He seemed to have realized that she was watching him. "You're a translator, right? I got your name from T-san."

T-san was an alias used by one of her shadier clients. The man had a small gang and they were involved in some nonviolent crime so she tolerated working for him on occasion, providing her translation and writing skills. "I see…and you…require my services for translating something?" she asked with hesitation.

"This letter got slid under my door today. I have no idea what it says, but I think it's in…_German_?" When he paused, he looked down at his open palm and squinted before stating the language he thought it was in. "So can you help me? I can pay, of course. How's twenty thousand yen sound?"

"I see…" Neneko bit her thumbnail and frowned.

The man on the other side of the door looked extremely shady. His hair was short and grayish in color. He was wearing glasses with circular frames, the lenses speckled with some sort of liquid that had splashed up. The scarf he was wearing hung loosely around his neck and had the unfortunate shape of intestines. It made her stomach turn to look at it for too long.

She quietly put her shoes on and grabbed her purse. Neneko was experienced enough to know better than to have a client come into her home the first time she met them. So she slipped out the door and locked it behind her. Turning so she was face to face with the man, she bowed slightly. "Kuroiwa Neneko. Translator. Pleased to make your acquaintance…"

His grin spread. "Giran. I'm a broker. You're cuter than I expected."

_You had some expectations as to how I would look?_ Neneko frowned and bowed her head. "If I could, I would rather discuss this somewhere other than my home. You must understand; I rarely have my clients come into my home for safety reasons."

"Of course, of course! Not a problem!" he assured her. "I know a good place. Not too far from here, but should be classy enough for business."

_How gentlemanly_, she thought without amusement. _If you must use the term "classy" to describe a place then it is, by no means, a place of class. Simply the manner of things._

Walking behind him, she attempted to read his motives. _I don't appear to be in danger. The fact is that he is being compliant enough; if he wanted to hurt me, he could have easily pushed his way in when I opened the door to leave. He may be leading me somewhere, but not by force and if I feel danger impending, I can flee._

The second that they were outdoors, he lit his cigarette and glanced up and down the sidewalk. As if he suspected someone was following him. When he saw the puzzled look on her face, he grinned sheepishly. "Hey, no big deal. Just never know who might be around, right? Wouldn't want to piss off a client of yours, Kuroiwa."

Neneko gave a brief nod as it sank in. Yes, this man was without a doubt one of the shadiest guys she had ever spoken with. However, he was smart. He was experienced. He was like her; calculating risk before danger could even appear and probably planning his own escape route if she were to turn on him. She already had her own plan of escape for if he became aggressive.

**Shift P.O.V**

When Jin saw the man casually strolling down the sidewalk, he tried to fight the urge to follow. He instantly recognized him and it sparked anger. He vividly remembered the night he fought him. The man's plans to break into Neneko's home and pillage her valuables, violate her for fun, and most likely kill her.

It was bad enough for Jin to have to imagine her enduring those horrible things, but then to think of Neneko being killed was a whole new level of agony. Imagining her being taken from the world, taken from him, hurt too much to bear. She was his comfort, his warmth. She had seen the real him and she accepted him.

So when he saw Neneko's neighbor walking alone by himself, he began following him. He had no plan. There was a good chance that Jin would never even approach him. _I just want to see what he's doing_, he told himself. _What kind of person is this guy? I bet he's a good guy! _He scowled and paused in his steps, digging his fingers into his hair.

A variety of things went through his head as he kept a slow, but steady pace behind the man. He thought of the last time he was with Neneko; sitting together on her couch with her dozing off, leaning against his side. He thought of her assistant. The younger man was always so cheerful. Jin had seen him loitering around her building a few times now. Loitering or running errands for her.

_I should do that_, he thought as he rubbed the back of his neck. _Why should I let some kid do that stuff for her? I can do it. I can do…anything…if it's for her. I love her. _Just thinking this to himself was enough to make him want to smile.

He lit a cigarette to try to keep himself calm. Thinking about Neneko was making him too excited. It started pushing him a little too close to feeling like he might split. Taking a deep breath, he closed his eyes for a moment and attempted to think of something calming. He imagined the scent of lavender, imagined the taste of tea.

"Oh, hey, dude. Can you spare a cigarette?"

Jin frowned down at the man. In his moment of trying to calm down, he had failed to notice Neneko's neighbor turning around and approaching him. Now the man was standing in front of him, giving him an expectant stare. Jin rummaged in his pocket for his cigarettes and offered one.

"Thanks, man. I just ran out. Got a light?"

He had not thought it possible to hate the man more, yet it was. Not only was Neneko's neighbor a total creep, but he was the type of person to demand stuff from a complete stranger with no words of thanks. Jin held out his lighter without a word, watching with narrowed eyes. His teeth gritted as the man leaned away and inhaled from the cigarette.

"You should move."

"Huh? What'd you say, dude?"

They were close to an alley. Conveniently close. So close that no one paid it any mind when Jin grabbed the man's arm and swung him into the dark opening. A hand closed on the stranger's throat as he glowered down at him. "If I see you in that apartment again, I'll make things really bad for you really fast. You understand?"

The man stared up at him with wide eyes, mouth falling open and cigarette tumbling to the ground in a wasted burst of embers. "Wh-what? Do I _know_ you or something?"

Jin leaned down, beginning to tremble with a blend of rage and the struggle of keeping himself together. "If you ever touch Kuroiwa, I'll make you wish you'd never been born."

Realization sparked in the man's eyes. "Y-yeah, man. Okay. I'll move. I swear. I didn't know she had a guy, okay? I swear!"

"Good." He released him and stepped back. Immediately, the man sprinted off out of the alley. Jin watched him go and then set off once more on his errand. The whole reason why he had gone out was to get something special. A little gift that he could give her the next time he saw her. Something to make her smile.

**Shift P.O.V**

Neneko frowned as she read through the note he had passed to her across the table. The dim light in the bar made it a little difficult, but she managed. Her shoulders drooped a bit as she glanced to the man seated across from her and then back down to the table. _These are…a German translation of Jin's meeting details_, she quickly realized.

She was a smart person. Nothing like a typical fan fiction original character or manga heroine. She rapidly pieced together that this was definitely the man that Jin had been corresponding with for his upcoming meeting with Shigaraki. Now she had to wonder if he was simply absentminded enough to have just used a translating application to translate a random document or if he had intentionally given her this to tell her who he was.

Giran was sitting there with a beer in front of him, talking on his phone and acting unconcerned. "I can be over there later. I'm busy right now. What? Yeah; I've got my own side projects, you know."

_Side projects…? And just what sort of side project is this to him? Why has this man approached me with something like this? He must know who I am. Such ignorance is impossible. Such a coincidence would only be possible in a movie or book. Reality is never so convenient._

"Sorry about that, Kuroiwa. So what's it say? Can you read it?"

She skimmed through it once more and her eyes fell upon a scrap of dialogue from the film Pulp Fiction. In her soft, whispery voice, she read, "English, mother f*cker. Do you speak it?"

His eyebrows lifted quickly and it seemed to take a moment for the shock to wear off before he snickered. Shaking his head, Giran grinned. "English isn't my forte. Sorry."

"I'm aware that English is a weakness of yours," she agreed, her violet eyes meeting his gaze over the rim of his glasses. Neneko drew her spiked tea closer, not taking her eyes off of his as her fingertips trailed over the condensation-speckled glass. "Giran-san, you…have a penchant for American crime films…correct? Your English skills are lacking. Your copy and paste skills…leave much to be desired; you often forget to include punctuation. You use peculiar slang in your messages when you attempt to use English. And…you are either absentminded or you have a need for me to know of your involvement with…Bubaigawara Jin."

The man blinked in surprise and leaned back. He ran a hand over his hair, looking away as if in embarrassment or concern. When he finally looked at her again, it was with a sheepish grin. "Yeah, well, maybe I was curious. Bubaigawara said he met someone so I thought I'd check you out."

"I see…"

"Let me level with you. I know that you know what's going on with him. You're a smart girl, right? You know seven languages, don't you? Want to make yourself useful for a good cause? You could join Bubaigawara and help out. What's your quirk?"

"I have no quirk. Additionally, I…have no interest in joining an organization that promotes hatred," she replied firmly.

"C'mon. What is it? You don't like him or-?"

"I do…like Bubaigawara. However, I cannot condone joining such activities. I refuse to take part myself, but I will not fault him for doing what he believes he must." She sipped her beverage, still maintaining eye contact.

Giran's grin twitched into a smirk. "Oh yeah? So that's what love's like, huh?"

Neneko chose not to answer. She was falling deep into thought so it would be a waste to answer the question. Not that she was even certain of her feelings. She knew that Jin was important to her. So important that she was willing to do something drastic. Something gut-wrenchingly anxiety-inducing.

_It needs to be tonight. If I prolong my plan any longer, I will be unable to help Jin. I must do this for him. I need to keep him safe. No matter what it takes._ She took a long sip, hoping to gain some liquid courage for the night's events.


	9. Chapter 9

NeonHorizon: Interaction with a certain someone will be limited for strategic reasons. If you read Twisted Little Heart, you'll understand. And don't worry; Neneko has her reasons for what she's doing. All will be revealed soon enough~

* * *

_Is this really okay? This is great! I've got the place to myself! _Jin stared at the door, frowning to himself as he realized that he had been standing there for about ten minutes. Shaking his head, he forced himself to turn away from the apartment door and looked down the hallway.

It was kind of late for a call to come over, but when Neneko called him, he could not get to her apartment fast enough. He was excited to see her since he had a gift for her and the whole walk there, he was daydreaming about spending the evening together. That warm, happy dream started to fade when he arrived.

Neneko apologized in her polite, quiet way and bowed again and again. She explained that she had to meet with an important client. She would be back in a little while, but her cat had been acting kind of sick so she wanted Jin to stay with her to make sure she was alright.

Not that he minded; he liked the fact that she was relying on him for something instead of that young guy that ran errands for her. He was looking down the hallway at the various doors now, rubbing the back of his head. Jin knew where the tea room was, as well as the kitchen and what Neneko had referred to as the "entertainment room". He was curious about the rest of the apartment.

There were three doors that he had yet to go through and he knew that one must be the bathroom, another being the bedroom. As he walked down the hallway, he paused to look into the kitchen. Neneko had told him there was food in the fridge so he curiously entered the room.

Jin wanted to look around at everything, wanting to learn more about the translator, but he was also cautious. If she knew he had gone through her apartment, she might start to dislike him. She might even be angry and say she never wanted to see him again. Just thinking about that made his chest feel tight and made him grit his teeth.

He stood at the counter, hands resting on the cool, smooth surface and fingertips turning white from pressing so hard. _I don't want to make her mad. She's too quiet! I wanna see her get pissed off! Neneko…wouldn't want me to look at her stuff. I can't do that._ Jin shook his head and lifted a trembling hand to run through his hair, trying to calm himself down.

Opening cupboards, he searched for her selection of tea. He wanted to find the chamomile because it always made him feel a little better. When she returned, he wanted to be in a good mindset. He hated it when she saw him looking weak, when he felt like he was splitting.

After some searching, he found the cupboard. There was a shelf dedicated solely to a wide variety of teas. There were some flavors he never knew existed, but sounded like they probably tasted good. Then his eyes settled on the tin box that was near the back of the shelf. Jin reached in and picked it up, frowning again. It looked like an expensive brand of green tea, judging from the designs on the box. What really left him troubled was the small handwritten label taped to the lid. It read "Chisaki" and Jin easily recognized Neneko's handwriting.

It was as he put it back that his eyes found something that brought a half-smile to his face. There was a bag of high quality coffee beans in the cupboard, tucked near the back, with a label of its own. His name was there, written in Neneko's delicate handwriting. It made him feel absurdly proud.

Jin looked in the fridge next, unable to fight his curiosity, and his heart skipped a beat. There, again, he saw her handwriting. A note perched on top of a covered dish with his name on it. Apparently she had cooked dinner for him herself and this only added to his bliss.

Next he had to find the cat. It was basically his reason for being there at all; to make sure it stayed alive and well until her return. Jin walked down the corridor again, pausing to check the tea room and the "entertainment room". Finally, he realized he would need to open the other doors.

One opened to reveal a bathroom much larger than the one in his motel room. It even had a large, deep bath that conjured up certain images that made his cheeks burn faintly. Shaking his head, he quietly cursed at himself for thinking about Neneko that way.

He closed the door and opened the next. This was a room filled with a variety of different plants on shelves, as well as hanging from the ceiling. The windows in this room were large and probably let in a lot of light during the day. Jin also saw a desk, computer, printer, and a cat bed against one wall.

Now moving to the last door, he knew this must be where the cat was. Opening the door admitted him into her bedroom and he paused in his steps. Her bed was big for a single person and the dark violet blanket looked soft, inviting. The white cat was curled up near one of the pillows and lifted her head to meow once before rolling around a bit.

Jin stepped into the room and looked around a bit more. There was one framed photo on her dresser. It depicted a family of three wearing yukatas. The child and woman looked rather unhappy and the man was beaming, one hand resting on the woman's shoulder. Something about it was unsettling. Even weirder was that Neneko had something like this framed and displayed. The child was clearly her, but it looked almost like the man had her and the woman at gunpoint.

The cat meowed again, drawing his attention back to the bed. "Yori?" He approached the bed and the feline trotted over to be pet, rubbing its head against his hand and purring loudly. The bed looked so soft, so inviting. Before he could stop himself, he was sprawled on his back with his eyes closed. The cat curled up beside him, perfectly content with sleeping next to the man.

A sigh escape him as he relaxed little by little. The blanket smelled like lavender and chamomile. A sharp contrast to the staleness of the shabby blanket from his motel bed. His eyes half-opened and he frowned, lifting his hands to rub at his face.

_I shouldn't be here! It's super comfy! I shouldn't be here! I should've stayed out of her room! It's really nice in here! I love it! I shouldn't…_Jin gritted his teeth, muscles tensing. _I don't deserve this. I don't deserve Neneko. She deserves someone better than me. I'm way out of her league!_

Being there on her bed made certain thoughts come to mind. Certain desires. The idea of lying there, with her. Holding her and feeling the warmth of her body against his. Sleeping beside her. He was sure that it would be the best sleep in his life if that happened and the idea of waking up beside Neneko made his heart pound. Jin anxiously dug his fingers into his hair, trying to distract himself.

Thinking about her this way was making him too excited. He felt like he was splitting apart and reached to the mask tucked into his pocket. As the fabric slid over his face, he released a sigh of relief and leaned over to pet the cat again.

His mood was lifting rapidly as he imagined Neneko coming through the door. She would be quiet as always, her footsteps light and nearly soundless. Now that he was wearing his mask, feeling more stable, he let himself indulge in a fantasy where Neneko would approach the bed. She would straddle him, but lean down with her arms wrapped around his neck so her warm, tea-scented self would be flush against him. A scenario that made him smile behind his mask and hope for her swift return.

**Shift P.O.V**

As a young woman that typically avoided human interaction, it felt unnatural to seek anyone out. She was taking a huge risk by doing this and she knew it. Her heart was beating hard, fast. Sweat had beaded up along her skin as she approached her destination and it proceeded to roll down her flesh, sticking her clothes to her skin, even after she entered.

At the very least, she knew there was absolutely no chance of Jin being there. She asked him to stay at her apartment and watch the cat, claiming Yori was sick. If he was in her apartment, believing that leaving might prove detrimental to the cat's health, she at least knew where he was. What he was probably doing. So there was no chance of running into him here.

Neneko had done her research extensively. She had been preparing for this day for a while, but had hoped it would not come to this. She had hoped that Jin could be convinced to not fall to the darkness. However, being the noble man that he was, he was committed to the promise he made to help the League of Villains. Thus why she was taking such extreme measures now.

_Since I was unable to persuade him, this is my only option. I want nothing more than for Jin to stay safe and be happy. If this is what it takes…I suppose I will need to adapt._ Her hands curled into fists and she proceeded into the bar.

The man sitting at the counter grouchily looked her way when she entered before demanding to know what she wanted. Seeing her costume, he seemed to put together what it was. She was either a vigilante or a villain. No self-respecting hero would wear something with such a ragged hem.

The man behind the counter, whose body seemed to be made up of dark smoke or mist, proceeded to engage her in conversation to try to confirm why she was there. He seemed polite enough toward her and spoke properly, as she normally did. Admirable manners for someone that associated with villains.

Again, Neneko had done extensive research. Not just on Shigaraki, but on psychology and acting. So it was quite easy for her to convince him that she was a villain called "Mystic Blade" who had no quirk, but wielded blades with deadly precision. When asked to demonstrate, she was able to hit a small target he chose using skills that she had picked up as a child. However, she lied and told him that it was a skill she had become determined to learn after playing a thief character in so many video games. That seemed to pique his interest.

It was decided that she would be allowed to join, but rather than call her "Mystic Blade", Shigaraki stated that he would be calling her "Mystic". Apparently adding "Blade" was just too much of a bother.

Giran's number was supplied to her for communications and she was sent off with the information that they would be meeting as a group in a few days. As she had planned, Neneko swiftly found a secluded place near the bar to hide and pulled down the black spandex that she had used to cover the lower half of her face.

She was breathing hard, her heart fluttering with panic that was lingering even now that she was away. The translator's hair felt wet from sweating and she took a deep breath, trying to calm herself. She slid down the cold brick wall, trembling from exhaustion.

_All of that research, but I've put it to good use. Good intentions. I can only hope for good results. This is the only way. I have to protect him…in any way that I can._ _So if I must join as well, to protect Jin, to sabotage __**them**__…then so be it._ She coughed quietly and cleared her throat, grimacing.

Neneko had watched many films over the past few days in preparation of creating a character that Shigaraki would want for the League of Villains. She had tried different voices, different speech patterns. Finally, she settled on a growly sort of voice that was just a bit lower than hers, with a rather rough speech pattern that imitated a female gangster's. It hurt her throat, but it was vital that she keep her identity secret. That she keep her involvement a secret from Jin.

Hidden in the alley, in the darkness, Neneko changed back into her normal clothes and packed up the villain costume she had put together herself. A dress that had been modified, a black spandex covering for the lower half of her face with a skeletal smile printed over the mouth, and black leggings.

The journey back to her apartment was brisk. She really wanted to take a bath and try to forget about her interaction with Shigaraki. She felt cold, uneasy, uncomfortable. It was horribly unpleasant.

The apartment was silent when she entered. Her bag was stowed away in a kitchen cupboard and she proceeded to search for Jin. It was as she stepped into her room that she found him. Strong arms wrapped around her, lifting her off her feet and pinning her back against a warm chest.

Neneko's lips curled into a smile that she quickly covered with a hand. She felt so relieved, so happy to see him, that she could almost laugh. The warmth that radiated from him brought her an instant comfort. All of her fear and anxiety was melted by that warmth. "Jin…did Yori perhaps give you trouble when I was away? To be so relieved to see me…" she spoke, half-joking.

"I'm just happy you're back! That stupid cat hassled me the whole time you were gone!" He hugged her a bit tighter, his face right beside hers and his chin resting between her neck and shoulder. "Whoa! You look pretty sleepy!"

"Nn…I must admit that my…meeting left me just slightly fatigued." She was set down and smothered a yawn as he walked around to face her. Hands gripped her shoulders gently and he leaned down, his masked face getting close to her again. Heat rushed to her cheeks and she lowered her head, her fingers anxiously fidgeting with the hem of her sleeve. "I apologize for asking you to-"

His right hand left her shoulder and went beneath her chin, lifting it so she was looking at him again. Seeing her flushed cheeks seemed to bring him a sense of joy as the eye parts of his mask indicated that he was smiling. "I was glad to do it! I'd do anything for you, Neneko!" The warm pad of his thumb skimmed along her lower lip and he tilted his head. "Don't be so demanding next time!" he added.

Her heart had begun to palpitate and she felt the heat of her blush seem to flow throughout her whole body. Her legs felt heavy when she thought about stepping back. She knew she probably smelled like sweat and she knew for a fact that she looked disheveled. Yet he was still so affectionate towards her. "J-Jin?"

"I'm gonna go make some tea! Wait here! Or don't. I don't care."


	10. Chapter 10

The last time he saw her, she had asked him again if he would reconsider associating with Shigaraki. She insisted that the villain would hurt him, that he should avoid Shigaraki at all costs. The fact that Neneko worried about him so much only proved it though; she was his soulmate.

Of course, he had to say "no". Jin was committed to this. The League of Villains accepted him as he was, much the same as she had. Not that he would ever want her to meet them or associate with them in any way. Putting her in danger was absolutely out of the question. She was everything to him.

Even now, as he entered the bar to meet with the other villains, he found himself thinking about the soft-spoken translator. He fondly remembered how she had hugged him and asked him not to go. Just the memory of it filled him with a warm fuzziness and made his heart beat faster. He promised himself he would see her again soon.

Jin wanted more than anything to be able to see her after the meeting, but there was no way he could face her so soon after going against her wishes. Seeing disappointment in her eyes would be too much to handle. She thought so highly of him. She called him valiant, noble. He was her hero, even if he was a villain.

_Tomorrow_, he promised himself. _I ought to just run out early and go to her place!_ He crossed his arms and leaned against the wall, frowning within his mask.

He had met some of these others before, having crossed paths coming and going from the bar or being introduced by Giran. Though there were a few Jin had never seen before in his life. The others were mostly guys, with the exception of three ladies. He had already spoken to Magne. The other two were a blonde teenage girl and a woman with a half-mask that covered the lower half of her face.

Jin's gaze briefly skimmed over this stranger, eyes narrowing. The woman had eyes that were completely black. A few strands of dark hair fell over her forehead from within the hood of her dress.

Her costume was different from the other ladies' as it was form-fitting, hugging every curve and dipping low at the neckline. The dress was just above knee-length with a ragged hem and long sleeves with red ribbons laced along the length of the forearms. A red ribbon was tied around her neck like a necklace, matching the shining red lacing along the front of the dark blue dress.

_Is that a gothic lolita costume? Ugh! Oooh! Just my type!_ He shook his head and lowered his gaze to the floor. He found himself thinking about Neneko and how she would never wear something that revealing. This thought was quickly followed by an attempt at imaging what his soulmate would look like in a dress like that.

Looking again, he saw that this stranger was talking to Compress and Dabi. They looked like they were all getting along really well. He figured this lady probably already knew at least one of them from before joining.

Introductions were given and Jin quickly found his attention shifting to this peculiar plethora of new friends. Everyone seemed to be an outcast in some way. Everyone seemed to accept everyone. So, despite this being a collection of villains, they were at least a close group.

**Shift P.O.V**

Beneath her costume, Neneko was sweating from a combination of anxiety, slightly overheating, and from being flustered. She was quite glad for the spandex mask that hid the warm hue of her cheeks and the dried blood beneath her nose. It was absolutely humiliating, but the second that she saw Jin in his villain costume, she had suffered an explosive nosebleed and was unable to clean the blood away for fear of exposing her face to the others.

_A man as noble…as pure-hearted…as Jin and I have such a lewd reaction to simply seeing him in his costume. Though that costume…leaves so little to the imagination…_She glanced over and found her gaze roaming along his figure. The fabric really did cling tightly to him. Neneko could see how well built he was and she felt her heart skipping a beat when he seemed to look her way.

"What're you staring at?" one of her new acquaintances asked. Dabi tried to follow her line of sight, but was stopped by a gloved hand gripping his chin and forcing him to look at her again.

"D'ya mean by that, sweetie? Don't tell me yer the _jealous_ type. Kheheheh! Kinda like it though, ya know! Makes a girl feel _special_!" Neneko's throat was hurting from having to speak in the fake voice. Lower than her natural voice, a growly sort of edge to it for an added villain effect. Shigaraki had seemed to like it well enough and it seemed like it was helping her blend in.

"Oh yeah?" Dabi gripped her gloved wrist, smirking down at the woman. "You sure Twice isn't more your type?"

_Jin…his villain name…so similar to his quirk. So simple yet so meaningful. A name like Twice…for a man living in two worlds._ Neneko narrowed her eyes and tilted her head, lifting a hand to plant on his shoulder. "Kheheh! Ya know I like a bit of muscle. Power's the name of the game, Staple Face!"

She stepped away, her wrist slipping from his hand as she prepared to make her boldest move yet. It was only natural. Neneko was acting. She was playing the role of a villain in the League of Villains. It seemed a little more like some sort of twisted support group rather than actual criminals. She had talked to most of the others already, had even determined who she would make "Mystic" stay close with. Now she had to talk to Twice.

Her heart was pounding, stomach doing nauseating flips, as she approached the masked man. Giving a dramatic bow, she forced a grin so her eyes would show she was supposed to be smiling. "Hey there! How ya doin'? Name's Mystic. Wanna be friends?"

Whatever she had expected him to do, it was not this. Twice pointed at her with one hand, wildly waving his other arm, the eye parts of his mask seeming to narrow to indicate that he was angry. "Who'd want to be friends with a hussy like you?! Hooray for friendship!"

Neneko was, needless to say, a little taken aback by this. For one, she had never been called a hussy before in her life and had never expected to be called that. To make it worse, she had just been called a hussy by Bubaigawara Jin. The man that she was so fond of. The man that she was doing this for. It hurt a little. Of course, she had to pretend to be unaffected.

Rubbing the back of her head through her hood, she raised an eyebrow. "Ya know, I never been called that before! How old ya gotta be to use a word like that, huh? Really know how to make a girl feel awkward! Kheheheh!"

The rest of the time she was there, Neneko kept her distance from him and forced herself not to look his way again. When she left the bar that night, she was in a rush to get home. She moved as quickly as she could, glancing over her shoulder every so often to be sure no one had followed her. No one was there.

A secure, shady area near her building was used to take off the parts of her costume that looked particularly villain-like. She practically ran up the stairs to her apartment and when she was inside, she released a sigh of relief and pushed back her hood. Sweat stuck her hair to her forehead. Tugging down her mask, she grimaced at the dried blood around her nose and mouth.

She was halfway down the hall to her bedroom door when there was a knock behind her. Neneko froze, her blood running cold as she looked over her shoulder. _No…impossible. Why? There is no reason for someone to have followed me so why-?_

"Neneko…?" Jin's voice penetrated the door, sounding strained; almost as if he was in some sort of pain. He knocked again.

The translator began to sweat more and sprinted into her room, keeping her footsteps light so she would be quiet. Rushing to take off her costume, she nearly tripped. The outfit was shoved beneath her bed and she grabbed some clean clothing. Struggling into the skirt and long-sleeved shirt, Neneko heard her phone start to ring. The screen displayed the name "Bubaigawara Jin".

"Ah…yes, hello…Jin…I must apologize…I have been feeling ill today. I will be there shortly to allow you in so if you could-" She was about to go to let him in, but caught sight of her eyes in the mirror on her wall. Neneko paused to remove the black contact lenses, her heart racing like mad.

"I-it's okay," he assured her. "It's fine. I can…come back."

"N-no! Jin, I…would very much enjoy seeing you. I can assure you that this ailment is not contagious. Something I ate disagreed with my stomach."

**Shift P.O.V**

Jin had tried so hard to not go to her apartment. His plan was to go straight to his motel room when he left the bar and yet here he was at her door. _It's fate_, he thought with a frown. _I can't stay away from her. I have to see Neneko._

It was more than a desire to see her. What he really wanted was to hold her, to fall asleep next to her, to wake up beside her in the morning and see that shy smile she sometimes wore. A smile that made his heart skip a beat. A smile that made him feel weak. He needed her calm warmth after such an eventful evening.

When the door opened, he was prepared to see her looking a little sickly. What Jin had not expected was to see so much dried blood around her nose and mouth. His eyes widened and he leaned down, a hand resting on her shoulder. "Neneko, did you puke blood?!" With his mask off, he could see that dark rust-colored flakes were thick on her skin; indicating she had lost a lot of blood.

The woman's violet eyes widened as well and she jolted backwards. "Ah…blood…? You must be mistaken." Her voice sounded rough; almost raspy.

Determining that she must have a cold developing in addition to the indigestion, Jin frowned. _I want to do something for her. There's got to be something I can do. I should leave before I get sick with whatever she's got!_ His free hand lifted, running through his hair as his teeth gritted.

A decision was made and Jin lifted her before the translator could protest. He kicked her door closed behind him and carried her bridal-style down the hallway, careful not to trip over the cat as it wove between his legs and meowed for attention. Just holding her like this was enough to make his heart pound. Heat ran through him when she wrapped her arms around his neck to steady herself.

Jin carried her to the entertainment room and gently set her down on the couch. He would have taken her to her room, but he felt like that would have been just a little too much. Their relationship so far was not as if they were actually a couple so it might have made her nervous if he did that. He wanted to keep her comfortable around him.

"Just…wait here. I'll get some stuff." He turned to leave, but felt her delicate fingers grab his hand. His breathing hitched at the woman's soft touch, felt even through the material of his costume. "Neneko?"

"I can assure you that I am fine, Jin. Please allow me to make some tea for you. This was the night that you went to meet with your new associates, correct? Would you like some chamomile tea to help you-?"

"Let me…take care of you. Please." Saying this made him feel a little like he was overheating. He was sweating a bit and, obviously, he was nervous. If she rejected his offer or seemed put off by the request, he was unsure of how he would react. He just knew that it would break his heart.

A hint of pink rose to her face and she tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear anxiously. "Well, I suppose…I could allow this. You simply wish to repay me for taking care of you before, correct?"

Jin was instantly reminded of waking up on the floor, his head in her lap and her fingers running through his hair. The thought of doing that for her made his stomach twist in eager, excited knots. He gave her a nod and had to stop himself from running to gather supplies to make her feel better.

Having memorized her apartment layout the last time he was there, Jin quickly brought her some stomach medicine and a cup of chamomile tea. Though he was at least eighty percent sure his tea was nowhere near as good as hers. He retrieved the blanket from her bed and a wet cloth from the bathroom for the blood on her face.

Neneko quietly thanked him when the blanket was settled around her shoulders, but tensed when he knelt in front of her so he was at eye level with her. "Jin…?"

He reached up, taking her chin in his hand as gently as possibly, and used his free hand to wipe her mouth and nose. Jin had made sure to use warm water and he saw her blush darkening to red when he started cleaning her face for her. _She's so cute when she blushes. I don't know how much of this I can take. I'd do way more than this if I wasn't afraid of her puking on me!_

That last thought made him avert his eyes for a moment. It had conflicted with his thoughts of his pure love for her, but it made him face the realization that he did want more. Jin wanted to make her his. After all, he loved her. She was his soulmate and she was quickly becoming the most important person in his life.

"Thank you…for taking such good care of me," Neneko spoke. "Jin, my gratitude is difficult to convey, but I value you greatly." She smiled warmly at him, not realizing how it made his heart feel like it was melting.

"I'm…staying here tonight," he determined. "To take care of you."


	11. Chapter 11

It felt like his heart was going to explode from beating so fast. Jin's worst fear was unfolding before his eyes and all he could do was watch, held back by many arms. His own arms ached from being twisted behind his back, his nose and lower lip throbbing from being hit. The man's vision blurred as he fought again to try to free himself, to no avail.

In front of him, just a few feet away, a heartbreaking scene was occurring. His stomach clenched, the taste of bile rising in his throat as he screamed and shouted for it to stop. He gritted his teeth as he heard a cry. He wanted to close his eyes, to block out what was happening, but he was afraid that if he did then it might really all stop and if that happened, he knew he would break.

Neneko's blood was pooling on the floor in a puddle so dark it was almost black. The translator's face was bruised, bleeding, sliced in some places. Tears mixed with the blood that ran down her once porcelain skin and her body shook with sobs. If this onslaught continued for much longer, she would break as well; just in a different way.

The thing that made Jin truly feel sick was that he was the cause of this. The men that were bringing her such harm shared his face, his voice. He was hurting her, right in front of him, and there was nothing he could do to stop himself. Jin could only watch and struggle as she cried.

The other doubles only released him when she had ceased moving, ceased making any sort of noise. By the time he got to her, the woman's body was limp. It had grown surprisingly cold in the short time it took to get to her and he held her against his chest. Her blood soaked through his clothes, sticking to his skin and making him grit his teeth once more.

Those once bright violet eyes stared up at him, unblinking. Cold. Lifeless. He gripped her wrist, lifting her chilled hand to his cheek and inadvertently smudging her blood on his skin. Tears spilled down his face as he held her closer, unable to stop himself from trembling.

He loved her. He would never hurt her. However, the fact that the doubles had so viciously attacked her made him question himself. Doubt himself. They were him. They did what he would do. So if they had no problem with killing Neneko, then what did that say about him?

Jin was jolted awake by a cat yowling and found himself staring up at a clean, pale gray ceiling. The surface beneath him was soft, comfortable. Nothing like the poor excuse for a mattress that he had in his motel room. There was something warm on top of him. Not heavy, but not light enough to be a blanket.

He slowly woke more and more, noticing more details. His arm was draped across the thing on top of him and something was resting between his legs. Realization set in as he remembered the previous night and Jin lifted his head to look down at Neneko.

While he was lying on his back, she was lying on her stomach on top of him. Her head was resting on his chest, one leg nestled between his. The translator had a few stray locks of shining obsidian hair hanging across her pale face and her lips were parted slightly as she slept. She gave off a faint chamomile scent that did little to ease the racing of his heart.

How they had gotten into this position, he could not remember. He did recall cleaning blood off of her face and trying to take care of her since she was sick. They had watched a few comedy films together and he made her some more tea. At some point, he knew he must have dozed off.

The arm that was wrapped around her tightened on instinct when she moved in her sleep, trying to prevent her from falling off the couch. This made her body press tighter against his and he felt a rush of heat run through him. Her chest was soft against his and his mind began racing.

He had dozed off wearing his villain costume so the only thing separating Neneko's cheek from his chest was a thin layer of material. He was sure she could hear his heart pounding beneath her ear. Yet she looked so content, so tranquil and pure. When he adjusted his position a little, her arms slid around his neck, seemingly on instinct since she was still asleep.

_Neneko…_Jin's free hand reached down, fingers gently pushing her hair away from her face. The warmth and happiness that had started to bubble up was swiftly replaced with pain. His heart felt like it was being squeezed as he stared down at her face and remembered his nightmare. The blood, the bruises, the cuts that had marred her skin. The coldness of her lifeless body in his arms.

There was a sharp feeling at the corners of his eyes, a slight blur to his vision as he realized he was on the verge of actually crying. The thought of losing Neneko hurt too much for him to even consider. She was warmth and light. He loved her more than anyone he had ever loved before and she accepted every part of him. If he ever lost her, he was unsure if he could keep going.

_I'd never hurt you_, Jin thought as he felt her move in her sleep. Her pale, delicate hands lifted and it seemed like she was going to wrap her arms around his neck. He held his breath as her hands rested on his shoulders. Her hips moved against his as she settled once more with a content sigh.

Feeling her move against him made him tense up as a wave of warmth ran through him. Pleasure made him grit his teeth and the hand on her back pressed down on reflex. _I couldn't hurt you. I love you._ Thinking this made his lips twitch into a half-smile. _I love you…I love you! I'd do anything for you, even if it hurts! Ouch! I'm not going that far!_

**Shift P.O.V**

Neneko's eyes opened half-way, staring at the television across the room. There was a fast, but steady, thumping beneath her right ear and it made her feel oddly comforted. Despite this peculiar position.

She knew immediately that she was lying on top of Jin; his body heat made it obvious and she knew that thumping sound was his heart. He was awake and probably wondering why she was sleeping on top of him. Before she could start to feel bad for literally falling asleep on the man, she noticed the pressure of his hand against her lower back. Holding her, keeping her in place so she would not fall onto the floor when he moved.

The translator's own heart began to flutter as she thought more on it. This was the closest she had been to anyone in years. It felt so nice, so comforting, to be held like she was something special. She was sure that if he knew how dangerous this situation really was, he would have left the room as soon as she dozed off.

If she suffered from a nightmare and cried out, or even talked in her sleep a bit too loudly, Jin would have been hurt. She never wanted him to hear her speak at a normal volume. Even in her villain persona, she used a voice that was below a normal volume in order to keep her quirk a secret.

Now she had to make a decision. If she showed that she was awake, she would need to move. This warmth, this blissful moment, would have to end. At the same time, she knew that she had work to do and he probably had his own things to attend to. It would be wrong to keep him like this. Selfish.

"Jin…I apologize for falling asleep on you," she mumbled, fingertips pressing gently at his shoulders through his costume. "I was rather exhausted and I suppose…well, to be quite honest…you make me feel safe in a way that is just a bit too comforting…"

"I-it's fine." There was a strain in his voice and the hand on her lower back hesitantly lifted. "You almost fell so I…just wanted to keep you safe."

Neneko felt her pulse skip a beat as warmth rushed to her face. She bit her lip, her mouth curving into a faint smile. If he only knew how he made her feel. He was so sweet, so noble, so unlike anyone she had ever met before.

When she pushed herself up, the translator realized the full extent of their strange position. Her left knee was between his legs, his left knee was between hers. The absolute closeness made her face go from pink to red and she turned her head to the side. "…oh my…"

He turned his head to the side as well, the faintest bit of color on his face as he pretended to not notice. "Neneko…I'm sorry. I shouldn't have come here last night. I…forced you to let me help you."

"No! Jin, it's…quite alright. I was exhausted and you took such good care of me last night. I truly appreciate what you've done for me. It's…a bit bold of me to admit this…perhaps a bit too forward…" Neneko turned her face toward him, gazing down upon her friend. Still wearing his tight-fitting villain costume. Still lying on his back beneath her. "You…are quite pleasant to sleep with," she murmured.

Jin's eyes widened and it was the only warning she got. He was soon sitting up, carefully trying to move her off of his lap and gritting his teeth. "I'm sorry…I can't…" His hands threaded into his hair, giving it a small tug as his face took on a panicked look.

Neneko recognized what was happening. _He feels as though he may split._ _I need to find…something…_She looked over her shoulder to the coffee table and spotted exactly what he needed. Grabbing the black and gray mask, she moved forward along his lap. Her knees pressed at his hips to try to warn him to stop moving, and forced the mask on over his head.

He went still for a moment, the two sitting in silence until he threw his arms around her waist. "You know me so well! I didn't need any help!"

She hesitantly wrapped her arms around him, biting her lip as a smile began to form. The translator was basically straddling the villain's waist, hugging him. _Such an odd pairing, but I would love for this to be…what is the word that I'm searching for? I would say that I wish for a relationship, but…I suppose…that would be rather unfair to him. It would be selfish of me to demand such a thing._

The woman reluctantly slid her arms from around his neck and bowed her head, trying to hide how red her face probably was. "I will…make some breakfast. I do apologize, but I will need to begin working soon. I have some documents that I must translate."

"Awww! I don't wanna let you go yet! Get off me! You're too heavy!" The eye parts of his mask seemed to indicate he was smiling, even if it clashed with his protest about her being heavy. His arms drew from around her waist, but instead of completely breaking contact, his hands settled on her hips.

He leaned up a little, masked face getting close to her flushed face and peering at her through his mask. The man tilted his head and lifted a hand up to cup the side of her face. His thumb ran along the cut on her left cheek and the eye parts of his mask changed. No longer did he seem to be smiling. Instead, they indicated a concerned sort of frown.

"I'm not gonna let you get hurt again, got it? I promise! If you can't protect yourself, why should I have to do it?"

_Protect…myself…_Neneko's heart felt like it was dropping and she gave a nod, her eyes shifting to the side. _But I suppose he has a point. Why should I rely on him for protection when I'm unable to protect myself? Unable to protect him. If I want to keep Jin safe…if I want to make him happy…I need to be stronger, smarter. I will need to do some research…_

**Shift P.O.V**

A full stomach. A good night's sleep. The lingering smell of chamomile on his costume, from holding Neneko so close. Even though he had to leave, even though he was now alone in his motel room, he still felt content just from having that time with her. It really made him feel good after the weird incident with that female villain trying to flirt with him.

Part of why he had gone to see Neneko, as far as he could determine, had been due to that incident. He felt guilty about even telling Mystic to leave him alone. Like he was cheating on Neneko, despite the fact that they were not officially dating. He had to see her that night to make himself feel better and it had done way more for him than he would have thought.

Not even the terrible memory of his nightmare could ruin his good mood now. After all, he loved her. He would never hurt her. It was just a nightmare. Just a horrible, bloody, heartbreaking nightmare. Suddenly, he felt cold without her there. He felt a heaviness in his chest and stomach, remembering his nightmare.

The ringing of his cellphone was a welcome distract now and he was glad that it was Giran who was calling. Hopefully he would want to have Jin visit. It would keep him from thinking about his soulmate lying dead in his arms at least. He was sure that he could drive away the bad thoughts if he just thought of how it felt to have her on top of him, but that made him feel a little guilty.

"Hello? What do you need now?!" He covered his mouth, frowning and furrowing his brow. It made his scar look deeper when he did this, but without Neneko there to see, he simply did not care how he looked.

"Where'd you go after the meeting last night? I heard you left pretty quick. Right after Mystic, right? I thought you and that translator were-?"

"How do you know about her?!" Jin sat upright, his free hand curling into a fist as he started to panic. If Giran knew about her, he might tell Shigaraki and then it would just be a matter of time before she was in danger.

"Relax, relax! I didn't say anything." Giran paused and there was a click of a lighter. "You know, that Kuroiwa, she's had it kinda rough. I did some digging and you wouldn't believe some of the stuff I found. Pretty horrible."


	12. Chapter 12

"Why were you…looking into her background?" Jin could feel his heart racing as he ran trembling fingers through his hair again and again. He was sitting on his bed in the motel room, the afterglow of waking up with Neneko quickly fading. All traces of bliss were replaced with a sense of absolute dread and panic.

_If Shigaraki finds out about her quirk, he'll want her. No way! Her quirk's lousy! I can't let anything happen to her! I promised I wouldn't let her get hurt again! It's not that dangerous!_ Gritting his teeth, he slouched. "No…"

Giran, totally unfazed by all of this, continued. "It's pretty messed up, Bubaigawara. Honestly, I think I'd break it off before you get too close."

"Stop. Just stop talking!"

"Huh? So you don't want to know?" He sighed in mock-resignation. "I guess I read you wrong. I thought you were pretty serious about that girl, but I guess not. You don't even want to know her background."

To anyone else, it would seem like Giran was baiting him. After all, he was saying how messed up Neneko's past was, but then going on about Jin not caring. Jin, however, was a little too trusting when it came to Giran. He saw him more as a friend than a broker and legitimately thought he was looking out for him.

"Fine." He reached for his cigarettes and lighter, guilt already making his stomach twist in anxious knots. It was a heavy sort of guilt; combined from feeling like he was invading her privacy as well as hating himself for not wanting to know.

"Did she tell you she was quirkless? Because she told me she didn't have a quirk. I did some digging and found out she's got a pretty powerful quirk they call "melancholy voice". She raises her voice too much and it hits a pitch that makes everyone in earshot start feeling pretty depressed. You know the phrase "she's a black widow"?"

Jin stared down at the floor as he lit a cigarette. "No."

"Okay, I'll just put it out there. Every guy she's dated is either dead or they had to be hospitalized because of her quirk. Imagine going at it and she goes to make a noise and-"

"Stop it. Please." The last thing that Jin wanted to think about was Neneko being with someone else. Even if it was in the past. It just hurt too much to imagine her with another guy.

"Well, anyway, there's that. Then there's the other shit from her past. Her old man basically bought her mom off her grandparents and forced her into the marriage. They say she killed her dad, you know. What else? There was a bunch of kids that had to be hospitalized from her middle school. A few of them from her high school that were pretty traumatized after hearing her raise her voice."

He reached over to the little table next to his bed and picked up the handkerchief she had given him the night they met. Staring down at the blood-stained, flower-printed piece of fabric, it was hard to imagine any of this being true. Kuroiwa Neneko was soft-spoken, kind beyond words. To think her past was so gruesome was just unimaginable and he hated to think of her going through so much pain.

"It's…not true," he finally spoke.

"Huh? Are you saying I'm making this all up?" Giran sounded annoyed now.

"She wouldn't…hurt anyone. Neneko isn't like that at all! It isn't true! It's definitely true! No! Neneko…wouldn't…hurt anyone! I _know_ her!"

"Look, you might _think_ you know her, but I'd still keep a safe distance. She's dangerous."

"Giran, she isn't like that!" Jin was starting to sweat, getting frustrated and panicky. He knew what Giran was going to say. It was inevitable._ He can't say anything to Shigaraki! If anything happened to Neneko, I'd die! I don't want to live without her! I'd die if she dies! It's not that serious!_

There was a brief pause before the broker spoke those words that Jin absolutely dreaded. "She'd make a pretty powerful villain, don't you think? Maybe I'll mention her to Shigaraki."

"Don't do that! Neneko isn't a villain! She's too nice! I don't…want anything to happen to her! She's my soulmate! Don't tell Shigaraki!" he blurted out. Putting a hand over his mouth, his eyes narrowed down at the floor and he gritted his teeth to stop himself from speaking again.

"Heh. I _knew_ it was serious. Fine; I won't say anything to Shigaraki right now. I can't make any promises in the future though."

**Shift P.O.V**

Neneko sneezed and frowned, murmuring a quiet apology and bowing slightly. _The second time that I've sneezed in the past few minutes. Almost as if someone may be talking about me. Though who that could be, I am uncertain. I doubt that I am interesting enough to gossip about._

"Allergies?" The man across the table appeared almost smug.

"No…simply a sneeze."

"Sure it's not a cold? Your voice sounds rough."

She frowned and resumed her task of translating a letter from Japanese to English. All the while, she chewed at her bottom lip. "Though, I suppose, if you suspect I may have a cold…it may be best for you to leave, Kurono-san. I could send the document to you through email. After all…if Chisaki-san were to know that you remained in my presence, despite suspecting I may be ill…well…I have a feeling that Chisaki-san would be quite _displeased_."

Across from her, Kurono slowly tilted his head. A half-smile formed on his lips, but the amusement it held was malevolent. "Guess I was imagining it."

Neneko knew he had no desire to leave any time soon. After all, this was a special time for him. He could sit there on her couch, drinking tea and eating whatever snack she provided, petting the cat when it wandered into the tea room. Enjoying a bit of simplicity before he had to go back to work.

To call them friends would be an insult to friendship. This was more like the sort of relationship a wildebeest has with a bird. The wildebeest lets it eat the bugs from its hair, which benefits the wildebeest. The bird offers its services of eating the bugs, which benefits the bird. A relationship of convenience.

She glanced toward her phone as she worked. Try as she might, Neneko found herself thinking about that morning. Each time she thought about it, she felt her face heating up to a warm pink. It was proving difficult to focus on the translations.

Waking up with Jin, being held by him so securely, feeling his warm body beneath hers. It made her heart race and she had to cover her mouth to hide a smile. Neneko could not remember the last time she felt so happy. Even if it had been a little intimate, considering the two were not even dating at this point.

Unfortunately, Kurono noticed her glancing at her phone and quirked an eyebrow. "Expecting someone?"

"No…not exactly." She knew that if he knew about Jin, it would definitely reach his boss's ears. If Chisaki Kai knew that such a distraction existed, it could end very badly. One such incident had already occurred in the past.

"Hoping to hear from someone," he corrected himself.

She ran her fingers through her dark hair, pushing a stray lock behind her right ear. Her eyes narrowed on the papers spread out before her and her frown deepened. Neneko spared him a brief glance. "I hate to sound rude, but…I've noticed that Chisaki-san's visits have grown few and far between. Additionally, these translations are becoming rather…_peculiar_…"

"Kai's busy with his own business." Kurono's eyes lit up as he heard a meow from the doorway. He turned his head and watched as the cat trotted over to his couch, every muscle tensed as if he was having to really restrain himself from moving to greet the cat before it reached him.

"I see…" Neneko finished up a page of translations and turned to the next, pausing to chew at her thumbnail. Her gaze lifted and she watched as Kurono lifted the pale cat onto his lap. _Yori, I must remember to thank you later. Perhaps I could express my gratitude with some catnip treats. Honestly…his eyes leave me so unsettled. I always feel as though Kurono-san is waiting for me to do something wrong._

The pale-haired yakuza lifted the cat a little so they were at eye level and his lips curled slightly. "What's wrong? You miss Kai?"

"Miss him…? His business with me is strictly that; business."

"I guess." Kurono leaned back, making himself comfortable for the first time since he had arrived an hour ago. He held the cat's dainty paws, moving them a little and seeming to marvel at the feline's patience with him.

He abruptly seemed to remember something and looked from the cat to Neneko. "Kai wanted me to get some of that tea from you. You still have the kind he likes, right?"

**Shift P.O.V**

Other guys. Of course, he knew she had been with other guys. It made sense; she was probably really popular with guys. She was cute. At least, he thought she was cute. _She's not cute. She's __**beautiful**__. She's the cutest thing ever!_ Jin lit a cigarette and leaned his head back against the bricks as he inhaled.

He should have felt great. He had slept in her apartment, holding her. He got to wake up to her sweet, sleeping face near his. Jin could feel flickers of that happiness, but the idea of her being with someone else threatened to snuff out that joy. He rubbed at the scar on his forehead as he tried to calm himself down now. Getting upset would only make him act rashly.

Everything would have been fine if Giran could have just kept his research to himself. There was no reason for Jin to know about all that stuff. He had no wish to know about it. He had even told Giran, bluntly, to stop talking about it. Now it was all he could think about. Although, it was less about the gossip about her hurting people and more about her love life.

_What kind of guys does she like? She probably goes for smart guys, like that kid that works for her. She's totally into guys like me! __**I'm**__ her type!_ Jin's heart raced at that thought, but he knew it made no sense. _Why would someone like her…like someone like me? She deserves someone better. She's head over heels for me! We're soulmates!_

"…soulmates…" He slid down the brick wall and crouched in the alley, running his fingers through his hair and trying to soothe himself. Trying to imagine it was her digits, her warm fingertips skimming over his scalp. He was so familiar with the scent of lavender and chamomile by this point that he could conjure it to mind at will.

Jin dug in his pocket for his phone to check the time. It was early afternoon. Definitely too early to go back to her apartment; he would be bothering her. She had a lot of work since she was so good at her job.

_She should be with someone smart_, he thought as he released a frustrated sigh. He stood and rubbed at the back of his neck, trying to decide what to do with the rest of his day. It had taken him this long just to summon up the willpower to leave his motel room. Staying in there just meant being trapped with his thoughts.

_She should be with someone smarter. Some guy with a good job. Nah! She's way better off with a guy like me! I can't even take her out anywhere. She deserves better._ Jin spotted someone familiar and raised an eyebrow. He stepped closer to the opening of the alley, trying to get a better view.

The college student was smiling and carrying grocery bags. He paused in his steps and pushed up his glasses before checking his phone. Seemingly satisfied with whatever he had looked at, he continued on his way in the direction of Neneko's apartment building.

It was by no means the young man's fault. After all, he and Jin had never actually interacted. He only knew the young man by his appearance, from seeing him come and go from Neneko's building. However, this being the case, Jin had also never seen him interact with Neneko. He had no way of knowing the dynamic of their relationship, but he found himself growing jealous as soon as he saw the boy.

Jealousy made him walk behind the young man at a distance. As hard as he tried to not think about Neneko being friendly with this stranger, Jin could not help but wonder how the guy felt about her. If this young man had a crush on her. If he ever thought about holding her or falling asleep next to her. If he had plans to tell her that he loved her.

His cigarette was finished rather quickly before he had to light another one. Jin kept his distance, but his heart was pounding. Sweat beaded on his skin as he found himself glaring at this simple college student that was Neneko's assistant. For a moment, he considered snatching her groceries from him and taking them to her apartment himself. It would definitely surprise her.

Jin's pace quickened as they neared her building, unsure of what exactly he would do, but knowing he had to do something. When he was just a few feet behind the younger man, he scrambled to think of what Neneko had said his name was. _Was it Kenta? It's Kita! _He blurted out the name, drawing the young man's attention.

Pushing up his glasses, the younger man tilted his head. "Ah. Yes? Can I help you?" he greeted Jin.

Trying to keep his expression light, the villain approached. "Maybe…"


	13. Chapter 13

Alcohol could make almost anyone talk. At least, that was what Jin thought. Sitting in a bar beside the college student, he was experiencing some bitter inner turmoil over what had to be done. He pressed a hand to the side of his head. The conflict was making him feel like he might split and it was a struggle to keep himself focused.

_I don't have the money to be doing this! What am I doing? How did it come to this?_ Jin realized that if he kept showing he was in pain, it would draw attention to him so he lowered his hand to grip his drink.

Kita was four drinks in and swaying a bit on his seat. He grinned over at the older man, holding his glass and raising it in a half-toast. "You know, you're a pretty good guy, huh? Most of her clients are kinda mean."

He frowned and ran his fingertips along his scar, unsure of what to do now. He had two options; he could go the noble route that he was sure Neneko would prefer or he could go with his gut. Of course, if he went with his gut, it might not end well for Kita. Since he was a teenager, Jin had been involved in less than noble activities. The instincts drilled into him since he was a teen told him to rough up the college student in an effort to intimidate him into staying away from Neneko.

When Jin imagined Neneko looking at him with disappointment, with a frown on her pale face, he felt a tightening in his chest. _I can't do that! I…couldn't handle it…if she was upset with me! _He had to push himself now. Otherwise this whole outing would be pointless.

"What kind of guys does she go for?" He tried to sound casual, but it was difficult. Jin was slouching in his seat, staring at his beer and wondering if he would even be able to keep it down if he drank it.

"She keeps her boyfriends secret," Kita seemed to almost pout. "Never introduces 'em to me anyway. There was that one guy that was really into her though. What was it? He called himself "Maru" or something like that."

He gripped his glass tighter, teeth gritting harshly at the thought of Neneko being with someone else. It hurt. He felt his heart dropping into his stomach now that there was a name to tie to the idea. "Maru?"

"Yeah. See, she used to have me sit in when she had clients. For safety, right? So there was this guy that did business in America and he called himself "Maru". He kept coming with English stuff for her to translate. Kept coming again and again. Eventually, he started bringing her presents. It was candy at first and then flowers. I could tell he was really into her; he always looked at her this way. You could just tell."

Jin finally let himself drink now. He chugged his beer as Kita yawned. Someone else loved Neneko and it made his pain even worse. This was a guy that was able to afford to shower her in gifts. A guy that did business in the United States. Someone well off and ambitious. Someone that actually deserved her.

Finishing his alcohol, Jin set down his glass and his eyebrows furrowed. "So what happened?" he forced himself to ask.

"What happened? It's a pretty good question. Maru didn't show up for an appointment and she never heard from him. A few days later…" Kita's face twisted into a disgusted, but haunted, expression. "A few days later, somebody found him. Nobody knows what the hell happened, but Maru was in pieces and somehow got fused into the walls of his apartment. Organs, limbs, hair, his teeth. Everything was everywhere and they had to chip him out of the walls to piece him back together."

A chill ran down his spine. Jin's stomach had felt unsettled earlier due to his conflicting ideas, but now he felt sick. Imagining stumbling upon something like that made him feel like he might vomit. "No one knows what happened?"

"That's the fucked up thing. I _said_ that, but the day after they found Maru, Kuroiwa-san stopped having me sit in on her meetings. She gave me this lecture about being careful coming and going. I don't know for sure, but I think she knows what happened. Not like she did it or wanted it to happen; she kinda liked having him around. It was like she knew what happened and she wanted to protect me."

Jin nodded. He knew how protective she could be. He still cherished that memory of waking up with his head on her lap, after defending her apartment from certain unsavory young men. _She's…too sweet. I have to protect her. Kind of sounds like someone else wants her. No! No one else can…I don't want anyone else to want her_, he thought as he looked over at Kita.

"She's pretty sweet, but there's no way I'm her type," the young man spoke, laughing sadly. "I mean, a woman like her should be with somebody more _traditional_, huh? Somebody that likes tea and probably likes wearing traditional clothes. Somebody that drinks sake instead of beer. Somebody with money to actually take her somewhere nice on dates."

"…somebody like Maru…" Jin muttered.

"Yeah. Maru would've been _perfect_ for her if he hadn't died. He had that classic look; smooth black hair and dark eyes. He had a cool smile, too. Hard to hate a guy like Maru, even if he wanted to take her away." Kita narrowed his eyes, reaching up with a shaky hand to adjust his glasses. "That's right. He would've taken her away if he was still alive, huh? I don't know what I'd do without Kuroiwa-san though. I owe her too much."

He had started to feel better about Kita until the kid said this. Jin had decided he was going to just let it go. He would part ways with Neneko's assistant when they finished at the bar and he would go back to his motel room. Things were different now. With that final confession, Kita altered his own future.

**Shift P.O.V**

"This…should be everything. If Chisaki-san has anything more for me to translate, please ask that he sends it to me via email." Neneko handed over the envelope containing the translated letter and watched Kurono tuck it beneath his arm. She was more than happy to see the man go; he was unnerving and he kept bothering the cat long after he was told to let Yori leave the room.

"We'll see what Kai says." He pulled up the hood on his white coat and turned to give her a smug sort of look. "Think about what I said before."

She frowned and tucked a lock of long obsidian hair behind her ear. "I apologize. Could you refresh my memory? We've spoken about many things today."

Their eyes met; a pair of sharp violet ones that simply stared back and a pair of dark ones narrowed in suspicion. The yakuza member's lips drew into a tight smile that held malicious amusement. "I wouldn't show favoritism with your clients, Kuroiwa. Spend too much time working for one of them and you never know what might happen. It'd be a shame, though, wouldn't it? If someone disappeared because they were monopolizing you."

_I believe that's a word you must have picked from Chisaki. I have doubts that you know what that word really means._ Kuroiwa brought a small, gentle smile to her face and nodded. "Of course. I understand…Chisaki-san has grand ambitions and…those ambitions require a great deal of work and enthusiasm from all involved. Which is why _you_ work so hard, am I correct, Kurono-san?"

Knowing that this was a subtle jab at the fact that he had managed to draw this short visit into a three hour long event, the man's mouth drew into a straight line. The mirth, however malevolent, left his eyes as he moved toward the door. "I can see myself out. I remember the layout here pretty well."

This was a subtle threat. Stating that he knew the layout of her home implied that he could get in whenever he wanted, do whatever he wanted. She was not safe if she made him angry. Neneko was smart; she fully understood what he meant. "Of course. Please; I wish you a safe trip back. Give my regards to Chisaki-san." She walked him to the apartment door, wanting him to just leave so she could lock the door behind him and feel safe in her own home again.

Once she was left alone, Neneko leaned against the door and closed her eyes. Sliding down so she sat on the floor, the translator wrapped her arms around herself and released a heavy sigh. There was a burning in the corner of her eyes. Her pulse was quick, painful, as she replayed that threat again. The threat of harming a client. She knew exactly what he was talking about.

It had been at the edge of her mind for a while, but she had managed to keep herself from thinking about it too much. The client that had spent so much time with her. The client that had gone missing and suffered a horrible fate. There was no official suspect, but it was definitely a murder. Albeit a peculiar one.

Trembling, she bowed her head and let her hair fall over her face. She heard the cat meowing as it trotted over to see if she was alright, but it went ignored. _Jin. If I continue to spend so much time with him, he may suffer the same fate. If anything were to happen to Jin and I was the cause…I believe it would break me._

Biting her thumbnail, she opened her eyes and let the tears slip down her cheeks. She felt nauseas and had to keep herself seated on the floor for a long moment before even attempting to stand. When she did, she leaned heavily against the door and shook her head. The thought of not seeing him hurt, but the thought of him being killed hurt much worse.

If she wanted to protect him adequately, she knew what needed to happen. She would need to distance herself from the man even more. Limit all of their interaction to either phone or email. Having him come over would draw attention to him and that was the last thing that she wanted now.

_I know who killed Maru. It was never a secret; Chisaki made it quite clear when he visited after they discovered Maru's body. If I continue to spend so much time with Jin, he will suffer as well. Chisaki will use his quirk and…_The tears multiplied; blurring her vision and stinging her throat. _I must distance myself. I cannot see Jin again for a few weeks unless I'm in my disguise as Mystic._

Of course, the very idea of not seeing Jin made her heart feel like it was being crushed within a demon's claws. He was quiet and a bit moody sometimes, but he was so kind to her. He was a noble man and he did not deserve to die at the hands of a lowly yakuza brat like Chisaki Kai.

_I will protect Jin_, she told herself. A hand lifted to her throat, touching it lightly with her fingertips even as her tears continued to fall. _I will put a distance between us, but I will continue to protect him as best I can. Even if I must raise my voice. Even if I am forced to use my quirk…_

**Shift P.O.V**

The amount of thought that he was able to put into the rest of this plan was minimal. All he knew was that he had his mask on now and he was standing at the top of the maintenance stairs, staring at Neneko's door down the hallway. Jin adjusted his hold on the grocery bags, setting a brisk pace as he moved toward her door. His injuries were throbbing, but he had to see her. Leaving these bags in front of her door and just running was not an option.

Jin knew he looked bad. There was blood on his knuckles and a little on his shirt, from where he was injured. Hopefully, Neneko could overlook these things. _She loves me! She'll have to ignore them! She's definitely gonna notice; I'm dead meat!_ He cheerfully knocked at the door and eagerly awaited her approach.

Quiet footsteps padded toward the door, followed by a pause as she looked through the peephole. Satisfied that it was just Jin, she opened it little by little. "Ah…Jin…I apologize, but I'm afraid I'm not quite up to having guests at the moment…" A startled squeak escaped her as the groceries were abandoned on the floor and arms wrapped around her tightly.

Overwhelmed, this time by happiness at seeing his soulmate, he lifted her off her feet and spun around in a circle. Her small, delicate hands braced against his shoulders and a leg wrapped around his waist to steady herself. Being pressed so close to Neneko, he could not contain his joy. She felt so soft, so warm.

The curiosity about how it would feel to be even closer was fleeting as he took action. Neneko's back was pressed flush against the wall with his chest against hers. A hand lifted her other leg up around his waist, her knees gently digging into his ribs as she stared up at him in confusion. Pink bloomed in her pale cheeks like cherry blossoms. "J-Jin? What…?"

A hand ran through her long dark hair, his pulse quickening as the silky locks ran between his fingers. She smelled like lavender and chamomile. Having her so close made him feel complete in the strangest way. Neneko was a totally different person from him, but he had to marvel at how just being near her made him feel like he was whole. Stable. Perfect.

Tears shimmered in her eyes as she stared up at him and rolled down her cheeks lazily. "You…should not be here. This is a dangerous situation for you to have put yourself in, Jin. I apologize, but it would be best if you leave. It is for your own safety. It is quite dangerous to be around-"

"What? You think I care about that?! What kinda danger? I'm up for anything! Especially if it's for you, Neneko!" Jin pressed his other hand against her back, bringing her tighter against him. He could feel the warmth of her neck through his mask as he leaned down and rubbed his covered cheek against her skin.

He felt something that made his excitement grow. Something that made him just slightly puzzled until joy overshadowed it. Neneko's back arched and her breathing hitched when his cheek rubbed against the side of her neck. Trembling fingers gripped at his mask now, slowly drawing it up. Jin leaned back to question her, but found her leaning up and pressing her lips against his.


	14. Chapter 14

Two days had passed, but every time he thought about what had happened, he found himself unable to suppress a smile. Whether he was wearing his mask or not. Whether he was in his motel room or out for a walk to get cigarettes. Each time he thought about that moment, he felt his heart skip a beat. A pleasant warmth ran through his whole body and it was all he could think about.

The pain of his injuries could not dampen his spirits. Jin was so overjoyed at the memory, his brain seemed to decide to just not let him think about how that night had actually ended. It was probably a subconscious effort to preserve his own happiness. After all, the night had a less than romantic end to it.

The moment Neneko pulled up his mask to kiss him, he felt his pulse race and he moved on impulse. He already had her legs wrapped around his waist so when he pushed his hips roughly against hers, it brought them close enough that he could feel the warmth of her thighs against his sides. Jin, in this moment of extreme bliss and excitement, was unable to stop his hips from grinding forward into hers.

She broke the kiss, clutching to his shoulders and trembling. When Neneko's lips brushed his ear, Jin knew he had to leave. If he stayed, things would get out of control. He wanted so desperately to hold her. To kiss her again. To carry her down the hallway to her room and kick the door closed behind them.

So, in order to preserve his current relationship with her and not risk ruining everything, Jin carefully set her down. He pulled down his mask, his hands moved into a heart shape over his chest, he bid her good night, and promptly bolted from the building as fast as he could. Of course, that embarrassment faded into the back of his mind in favor of remembering the happy parts instead.

Even now, hanging out in the bar with the other villains, he found himself getting almost hyper from thinking about Neneko's kiss. It made him feel like he could take on anything. Even with his still-healing injuries.

His good mood did not go unnoticed. Jin was usually in a decent mood when he wore his mask, but he had literally skipped into the bar when he arrived. It was hard for anyone to not notice.

"What's your deal today? Did you chug some energy drinks?" Dabi sounded less than interested. More like he was just looking for a brief source of entertainment until something better came along.

"Hey now! My happiness is none of your business! I got a kiss from the cutest girl~!" His smile grew behind his mask, the eye parts changing shape slightly to show his elated emotion.

"Oh yeah? You've got a girl? What's she like?"

"I said it's none of your business! She's sweet and quiet and cute! She's the best!" Just talking about her was enough to ramp up his excitement. He wanted to just leave the bar and run to her apartment then and there, but he was trying to give her some space. If he went to her place now, she might think he was obsessive. Even if she was on his mind all the time, he never wanted her to be afraid of him.

"Sounds like you're talking about a dog," Dabi remarked with a smirk. Jin started to protest, but the fire-quirk villain shook his head. "She sounds boring."

"Hey, Staple Face! Miss me?" This voice came from behind them and it was low, rough, and female. Mystic greeted them both with a wave, her hips swaying in an exaggerated sort of way as she approached. A gloved hand lifted, fingers trailing over Dabi's scarred cheek as she smiled. "I _said_…did ya miss me?"

He gripped her wrist and tugged her a bit closer to him, his free hand settling on her waist. "What do you think? You want me to show you?"

Mystic snickered and shook her head. Those oil-dark eyes settled on Jin and she raised an eyebrow. With the lower half of her face hidden by the black spandex covering, it was hard to tell if she was really smiling or not. "How's it goin', Panda Man? Miss me?"

Jin's good mood started to fade as soon as their quirkless coworker appeared. Waving a hand wildly, pointing at her, he shook his head. "No way! Who'd miss you?! Okay! Maybe a little!" Behind his mask, he gritted his teeth. _What's her problem? She comes in here…dressed like that and flirting with everyone! No! I won't…talk to her! I won't cheat on Neneko!_

Taking a few steps back, the eye parts of his mask narrowed and he drew a thumb across his neck. "You can't tempt me! I'm not even into flashy girls like you!"

**Shift P.O.V**

Neneko's heart was pounding so hard that she feared Dabi would feel her pulse in her wrist. Thankfully, the sleeve of her dress and the material of her glove seemed to provide enough layers to hide it. She hated playing this role. Being Mystic the Quirkless Villain.

The persona she had to take on was so drastically different from her natural demeanor that it made her uncomfortable. To the point where she felt stress hives forming along her arms beneath her dress. Watching Jin back away, after having called her a "flashy girl", she did not know if she wanted to laugh or cry.

Dabi was still holding her wrist and his smirk fell when he saw her staring at Jin. "What? You sure that's not your type?" he taunted.

"Khehehe! Crazy's _definitely_ my type!" She caressed his cheek with her free hand, her stomach churning with nervousness. "Question now is: how crazy is my sweet little Staple Face~?"

_That was horribly unpleasant, but a necessary inconvenience. To be able to protect Jin, I must stay close. Being among those villains is unnerving, but…it allows me to see him more. The real issue is maintaining a safe distance from Jin while…mingling with the other villains. Blending in. Camouflage. Though I detest getting so close to…Dabi._ Neneko reflected on the afternoon as she stood in her room, removing her villain costume.

It had been two days since her romantic moment with Jin. Every time she thought about it, her heart began to race and she felt a bubbling sort of happiness rise in her chest. That is, until she remembered his reaction to her kiss. His hips pushed forward into hers, seemed to grind for a moment, and then he quickly drew away from her and left the building.

She was still puzzled as to why he had brought her groceries. Everything she had asked Kita to buy was there, but there was no word from her assistant as to why Jin had the items. Every time she tried to call Kita, she was ignored.

_Perplexing. Kita-kun is usually much more responsible than this. Could something…perhaps…?_ Immediately, she felt her heart drop into her stomach. She remembered Kurono's warning, issued the same day Kita stopped answering her calls. The translator rushed to finish dressing and grabbed her bag to go out.

_Kita-kun. I have his address so it is simply a matter of going to his apartment to check on him. Yes. If he is in good health, but does not wish to talk, I will honor his wishes. I must know if he is alright, though. This is necessary._

She was putting on a jacket when there was a tentative knock at the door. Cautious, quiet. Neneko held her breath as she tiptoed over to check the peephole. She had never felt so glad to see her assistant's goofy half-smile before. The door was swiftly opened and she stared up at the young man.

Kita definitely looked worse for wear. His right eye had been blackened, his nose broken. A canine tooth was missing from his smile. His posture was a bit hunched, a hand pressing at the side of his ribs. A hand that was missing the fingernail off of his middle finger. "Kuroiwa-san, I'm sorry."

The woman shook her head and opened the door more, silently gesturing for him to enter. "The tea room, please. I will be there momentarily."

To calm herself, she began boiling a kettle of water and tried to select a tea for Kita. Her hands were shaking as she rummaged through the selection. She doubted that this was Chisaki's handiwork since Kita was alive and in such a condition. If it had been Chisaki, Kita would most likely be dead or at least horribly disfigured in some way. It was entirely possible that Kurono had done this.

Returning to the tea room, she set about pouring tea for them both and saw the boy smile weakly. "Please. Kita-kun, enlighten me as to what happened. A…particular client…brought my groceries and I did not-"

"Ah! Bubaigawara made it back with the bags? Good. I was worried about him." He rubbed the back of his neck and lifted his cup with his free hand. "He's a good guy. You wouldn't believe what happened, Kuroiwa-san."

Her assistant went on to explain that his memory was a little fuzzy at certain parts. What he did remember was that he bumped into Jin, who he recognized as one of her clients. The two ended up going to a bar. He had a few drinks and was planning to take her groceries to her, but he was jumped in an alley on his way back. Kita fought the attacker to the best of his ability and ultimately ended up using his quirk to try to defend himself.

Kita had a very odd sort of quirk. Without having it active, he appeared relatively normal. A bit too friendly sometimes and maybe a bit odd, but normal by all outward appearances. One might even think he was quirkless. When it was used, Kita was able to shift forms and become a large black and white dog.

As he explained the fight, Neneko soon realized why he looked so terrible. The attacker had managed to punch him in the face a few times before he used his quirk. Then Kita had latched onto the man's arm and pawed furiously at the attacker's chest. So hard that a claw, a nail, had broken off in the man's flesh.

"I got whacked in the head pretty hard and blacked out, but when I woke up, Bubaigawara was carrying me. He must've heard the fight or something because he promised me he'd get the groceries to you and he left me with my roommate. I think he might've gotten into it with the guy because he looked pretty banged up."

_Jin…came to Kita-kun's rescue?_ While she thought it was incredibly noble, she felt dread tightening around her heart. He had put himself in danger. If Kurono had been the one to attack Kita, as she suspected, Jin could have been killed. She knew how dangerous Kurono was.

"Did you…by chance…manage to see the assailant's face?"

Kita blinked owlishly, his vision obviously blurred by his injury and his lack of glasses. "Uh…well, no. I didn't see. It was pretty dark in the alley. The guy hit really hard though!"

Her stomach twisted in knots and she bowed her head. "…I see…"

"You don't have to worry about me, though! I'm tough, Kuroiwa-san!"

"…Kita-kun…you are missing a fingernail…and a tooth…"

"But I'm okay! I'm still alive, see? So it's not-!"

"You are alive…due to Bubaigawara's noble actions." Neneko leaned toward him from across the coffee table. "Kita-kun, until certain…issues…have been resolved, I must ask that we put our arrangement to an end. You must understand. For your own safety, I request that you maintain a distance from me."

The young man frowned and lowered his head. "I'm sorry I'm not stronger."

"It is not that you need to be stronger. It is that the world…is unfair sometimes." She chewed at her thumbnail, her thoughts shifting to Jin as she began to worry for his wellbeing as well.

**Shift P.O.V**

Standing at his window, Jin stared out at the city. He wanted to see Neneko again. Every time he saw Mystic, he felt guilty. Even though he never reciprocated her flirting, he felt like he was somehow cheating on Neneko. Not that they were actually a couple.

Lighting a cigarette, he tried to push away the memory of Mystic's advances and focused on thinking about Neneko. The way her lips felt against his; so soft and warm. The feeling of her chest pressed against his, her legs wrapped around his waist. Butterflies seemed to take flight in his stomach and he inhaled from the cigarette, smiling to himself when he exhaled smoke.

_I want to see her again, but I can't let her see me like this. I look hot and I know it! She can't resist all this!_ He grimaced, embarrassed at that thought, and bowed his head. "No…not like this," he argued with himself.

There were still some bruises and teeth marks on his body. The bites were mostly on his left arm and were deep, the bruises on his chest and stomach. Jin's face had been scratched, but he knew it was too shallow to actually leave scars. What would scar was the scratch down the right side of his chest. It had bled a lot and he had pulled a dog's claw out of the wound when he returned from Neneko's.

_If she saw me like this, she'd get worried. I don't want to bother her again. I just want her to take care of me like last time!_ He released a sigh and closed his eyes as he tried to resist the urge to call her.

As if she read his mind, his phone began to ring and displayed her name on the screen. He answered with hesitation, half-afraid that she really could read his mind somehow. "Neneko…?"

"Are you…have you returned from your meeting?" she questioned.

"Yeah. Uh…do you need me to do something? Do it yourself!" He clapped a hand over his mouth, angry at himself for blurting that out.

There was a pause, in which he feared she might have taken offense. "I realize it may sound selfish, but…please…if I could trouble you to meet with me…"

His heart seemed to leap and he quickly put out his cigarette. "Y-yeah…sure thing. Sounds like a date! I'll be there!" Now he would need to make an excuse for his injuries.


	15. Chapter 15

Tucked away in an alley, not far from where Neneko had asked him to meet with her. Jin held his head with both hands, fingers digging into his scalp as he tried to hold himself together. Each step closer to where they were due to meet had brought him excitement, but at the same time it flooded him with anxiety. He was so happy to be able to see her and it was ruined by the underlying fear that he would mess this up, that something bad was going to happen.

Truly conflicted with these two extremes, he had no choice. He had to wait it out until he could force himself to act at least semi-normal. So he remained hidden in the alley, teeth gritted so hard he was surprised they had not cracked. His heart was hammering so fast that he legitimately worried that every passerby could hear it.

_Neneko…I want to see her! I want to go to her, but I can't…when I'm like this! I'll say something rude and she'll never forgive me! I don't want to hurt her! Come on! She knows what's up!_ He shook his head, on the verge of tears from the struggle of resisting. His mask was tucked into his pocket, just waiting for when he finally broke down and put it on.

_She deserves better than this! No, we're a perfect match! Soulmates!_ Jin opened his eyes and stared at the wall across from him, a tear slipping from the corner of his right eye. "…soulmates…"

He took a deep breath, trying to calm himself down. It was already ten minutes past when she had asked him to meet with her. He had no desire to make her wait any longer. Jin tried to think of something that would make him feel better. Something that made him feel whole.

The answer was simple. Thinking about Neneko's warm, soft lips caressing his. Thinking about his head resting on her lap while she looked down at him with that gentle, sweet expression on her face. Thinking about waking up on her couch and finding Neneko asleep in his arms on top of him. The answer was simple: thinking of **_her_** made him feel whole.

Jin finally released a shaky exhale and rubbed at his right cheek, trying to get rid of any sign that he had shed a tear. If the last thing he wanted was to make her wait, the second to last thing was to make her worry. Even if he was just a double, which he was still sure he might be, Jin wanted to do everything he could to make her comfortable. To make her happy.

He managed to get to the café's door when he spotted her and his heart skipped a beat. Neneko was sitting at a table near the back, a cup of steaming tea a little to her right and an open notebook in front of her. She was writing something down and paused to lift a hand, delicately chewing at her thumbnail in a way that made his pulse pound faster. In her oversized sweater, she looked so fragile, but so cute. It made him want to protect her from everything.

Suddenly wishing that he had brought some sort of gift, Jin entered the café. He walked with a slouched posture, his head down to keep himself from looking directly at her and becoming too excited. _I should have brought something. My presence is present enough!_

The man approached her table with a painful mix of hesitation and elation, trying to keep his facial expression under control. "Neneko…"

Soft violet eyes lifted from her notebook to meet his gray-blue ones and Neneko's lips curved into a shy, small smile. She drew her hand further over her mouth so her sweater sleeve hid most of her smile. "Jin…I apologize for asking you to meet me so far from…our part of town…"

"I-it's fine." He sat across from her, having to stop himself from blurting out how happy he was to see her. His eyes moved toward her open notebook, catching sight of a few words in a foreign language before she closed it. Jin frowned, mumbled his own apology, and rubbed the back of his head.

Across the table, Neneko seemed tense. She was chewing at a loose thread on the hem of her sleeve, her gaze lowered to the table's surface. Unable to look at him. Shoulders slouching forward and trembling as she appeared to consider her words with care.

Jin kept his hands away from her, despite wanting to reach over to hold her hand. "So what did you…want to talk about?" he forced out.

She blinked in surprise at the direct question and gave a slow nod. "Yes…yes, of course…you must be wondering why I invited you here today, Jin…I apologize. This must be so confusing…frustrating, even…"

"N-no! I just…I'm just glad that I'm with you," he admitted. His pulse raced as he glanced across to her, waiting for her response and subconsciously holding his breath in anticipation. _She's so cute. No way! She's hot! No, that's…that's rude. Look at those eyes!_

Neneko's soft, pink lips were moving as she spoke. Her gentle voice was just above a whisper and she slowly lowered her gaze to her tea as she talked. Steam was still lightly coming up from the teacup, giving her a rather mystical sort of look as she attempted to explain her need to meet with him.

Unfortunately, Jin was distracted from her words by staring at her. His object of affection. His soulmate. So, when he did finally notice what she was saying, it was at the worst possible moment. At a moment that made him feel like his heart was sinking into his stomach. A coldness fell over him as Jin stared at Neneko, trying to figure out why she was saying she could no longer be around him.

**Shift P.O.V**

She bowed her head as she tried to carefully explain the situation. Of course, he knew about the attack on Kita; he had been the one to rescue him. "I greatly appreciate you coming to Kita-kun's aid, however…I cannot allow you to put yourself in such danger again. Associating with…Shigaraki…is dangerous enough as it is. I have no desire for you to be harmed simply for speaking to me…"

A tightening began around her heart. Neneko's stomach twisted in knots as she watched the steam swirl in the air above her cup. She wanted to keep seeing him. She wanted to spend more time with Jin, but she was terrified of him losing his life just for being seen with her. Losing his life, suffering the way that her admirer had. Neneko forced herself to lift her gaze, hoping to see understanding in his eyes.

Across the table from her, Jin had his head bowed. His eyebrows furrowed, making the scar on his forehead appear deeper. The man had kept his hands beneath the table until this point, but now crossed his arms in front of him. One hand fidgeted with his lighter; absently clicking it as he seemed to mull over what had been said to him.

Neneko could see his mouth twisted into a deep frown and she felt the clutch of guilt tighten around her heart. Her vision started to blur as tears sprang to her eyes and she lowered her head, half-bowing. "Jin…I am truly sorry that this has to happen…I greatly enjoy your company and I…this is forward of me, I realize, but…I've grown extremely fond of you…I have no desire for this to happen, but it would be selfish of me to…allow you to be in danger…"

"It's not selfish." He said this through gritted teeth, gray-blue eyes lifting to meet her violet ones. "Neneko…please don't do this."

She shook her head. "I…ngh…J-Jin, it…has to be this way…today…this meeting…has to be our last…at least…until I'm able to take care of the danger myself…" Neneko reached across the table, gently resting a hand on top of his left hand. Tears were threatening to spill down her cheeks, her shoulders trembling.

The translator had experienced heartbreak a few times before; when her mother left her, when her friends deserted her, when past lovers decided she was not worth the trouble. This heartbreak hurt worse than any before. They had grown so close and she dreaded the idea of not talking to him.

His lighter was dropped and he put his other hand over hers. "It doesn't have to be this way! I can take care of myself, Neneko! Just…let me show you I can handle it…I won't let anything happen to you and I won't-!"

"Jin…p-please…" She drew away quickly, fighting back sobs. Fighting back the urge to just throw her arms around him and not let go. If she showed any more affection toward him out in the open like this, his safety would be put even more at risk. Her shady yakuza client would know. He had so many connections that there was no doubt he would know about this meeting. As he was supposed to.

This was a break up, even if they had never started dating. She had to make it this way. Anyone that might be connected to her yakuza client would see this break up and report it. He would assume that she had cut ties with her "distraction" and he would be satisfied. That is, until she made her next move.

It was terrifying to think about, but she knew it had to be done. To insure her safety. To insure Jin's and Kita's safety. Neneko would need to be brave, bold, and break her own character. She was prepared. Even if it meant raising her voice.

She left the café before Jin could further try to convince her that he could protect her. Neneko ran as fast as she could and only stopped when she was at home. Door locked. Phone put to silent. She sat in her office among the various plants, trying to calm down.

Panic was starting to surface and she wrapped her arms around herself, taking a shuddering breath. What would come soon was enough to make her heart race, her blood turn to ice in her veins. Neneko and Jin could no longer be together, but Mystic could watch over Twice from a distance. That was how it had to be. How she could continue to try to insure his safety.

Neneko would have to force herself to be around those villains, pretend to be a villain, stay close with them. The thought of having to stay in character as Mystic made her so fearful that she tasted bile. Her stomach did a flip and for a moment, she thought she might vomit.

A soft meow to her right made her jolt and Neneko's head snapped in that direction. Her cat tilted her head, staring up at the translator curiously. "…Yori…I apologize…I was lost in thought…I just…I had to do something quite difficult today…something that I wish never had to happen, but…for Jin's benefit…I…"

The cat rubbed its cheek against hers, purring quietly. She stroked along the cat's spine, feeling the soft, snowy fur glide beneath her fingertips. _I had to break my own heart…in order to protect Jin. It's only temporary. Only until I settle my issue with…Chisaki-san. Once that is done, I swear that I will be reunited with Jin. I swear it._

**Shift P.O.V**

It hurt worse than almost anything he had experienced before. Like having a chunk of himself torn away. To Jin, the next week passed by like an eternity. Agonizing, depressing. He kept thinking about her and it hurt a little worse every time.

A few calls had been attempted before he stopped. He had no desire to make her upset and he was afraid of bothering her or even scaring her. She might think he was a stalker. She might decide she was disgusted by him.

Despite that, he still found himself wandering over to her building every time he left the motel. He would never go inside; just stand out in an alley next to it or on the sidewalk nearby. Jin wanted to see her, even if it was just for a fleeting moment. However, his luck had been bad so far.

It seemed like this day, the seventh day, was when his luck turned. Jin saw her emerge from the maintenance door in the alley. He had to quickly hide himself behind a pile of crates and listened to her footsteps. She was moving down the alley and, thankfully, was lost in thought.

Her head was bowed, a hand lifted as she chewed at her thumbnail and staring at the ground below. A bag was slung over her shoulder and her footsteps were quick. The translator was mumbling to herself in Korean and it sounded like she was listing things.

Jin followed her at a distance; always making sure that he had a place that he could hide if she suddenly looked back. She never looked back though. He started to sweat a little as he realized that it was getting late. Getting close to time for his next meeting with the League of Villains.

_I can't just leave her! I haven't seen her in a week and…she looks as cute as I remember! My heart can't take it! I just want to grab her! I can't do that! _Jin held the side of his head, teeth gritting as he tried to keep himself together. Then he heard the rustle of cloth.

He peered around the corner of the crates he was hiding behind and realized that she was just a short distance away, hiding behind another crate. His heart began to pound, a bit of blood trickling from his nose, as he noticed that she was taking off her oversized sweater and skirt. Jin held a hand over his nose as it began to gush crimson.

Since she always wore baggy clothes, he had never noticed how she was really built. Her bust and hip size made warmth rush through him as he found himself staring. He knew it was wrong and he felt guilty, but he was unable to look away. The excitement lasted about forty seconds before it turned to confusion and then absolute alarm.

Neneko had shed her sweater and skirt for a reason. She was now putting on a formfitting dark blue dress with red ribbons laced along the sleeves and a low neckline. The translator set about putting on the rest of the costume; ribbon necklace, lower face mask, gloves. When she finished, Jin was no longer looking at Neneko. He was looking at the villain Mystic.


	16. Chapter 16

_Jin...is not here yet?_ Neneko looked around the bar, feeling disappointed when she failed to spot his trademark black and pale grey costume among the other villains there. She wanted to turn away and leave. After all, he was her sole reason for being there.

Just as she began to wonder if he might have been injured on his way to the meeting, she felt an arm wrap around her from behind and jolted. All it took was a quick glance down to recognize the scarred, patchy hand of Dabi. Her stomach turned upon realizing how close he was pressed against her back.

It had seemed a safe enough idea when she first joined the League of Villains. If she got close to other villains, no one would ever notice her admiration for Jin. Though she was beginning to regret choosing Dabi to get close to. He was laidback, but clingy. He got jealous easily and pouted. Just his presence was enough to make her feel irritation and disgust because he had already openly bragged to her about his kills.

"Awww! Kheheh! Ya miss me that much, Staple Face?" The fake voice made her throat feel ragged. That lower than normal, growly voice. Even the gruff speech pattern made her feel uncomfortable.

"It's been over a week. What do you even do anyway?" he murmured beside her ear. His arms were both wrapped around her now, holding her close in a way she never wanted him to. The scarred villain seemed to be in a clingier mood than usual. Needier. Attention starved.

If it was Jin, Neneko knew she would not mind this treatment. She knew him much better than Dabi. Not to mention how fond she was of Jin. As she twisted to look up at Dabi, she let her eyes half-close and a gloved hand lifted to caress his cheek. "Kheheh! What's up? Ya wanna ask me out or something?"

_Please stop touching me. I despise this greatly._ She patted his cheek and tilted her head. "Don't think ya could handle all this full time, Staple Face! Mystic is a strong drug, ya know! Better in small doses!"

He let her pull away and frowned, hands sliding into his pockets. "Seriously?"

"What's the problem?" She put her hands on her hips, head still tilted and her oil-dark eyes staring up at him. Thankfully, her mask hid the lower half of her face so he was unable to see the disgusted frown taking form.

"It's not enough." The villain smirked, taking a step toward her. He backed her up more and more until her back connected with the edge of the bar.

Dabi planted a hand on the surface of the counter and brought a hand up to cup her chin through her mask. His thumb traced over the skeletal smile printed on the black spandex and he skimmed over her upper lip, his skin hot through the fabric. He saw a warm, pink hue rising to her face and he leaned down so his face was just a few inches from hers. "I'm sick of waiting around for the next meet up. Come with me when we're finished here tonight. I want to see-"

"Would you kindly refrain from leaning on the counter?" Kurogiri's voice came from behind them, making Neneko tense up and Dabi lift his gaze.

"Too bad, Staple Face. Kurogiri doesn't want ya getting the counter dirty~" she taunted. Neneko carefully moved around him in time to see that special someone enter the bar.

Jin had his mask and costume on, which immediately made her heart skip a beat. She simply could not help it. Every time she saw him in his costume, saw the way that the black and grey material clung so tightly to his form, she felt herself getting excited. She had to fight the urge to bite at her thumbnail when she saw him this time and quickly forced out a cheerful greeting in her fake voice.

"Panda Man~! Looking fine as ever!" As she waved, she heard Kurogiri sigh. The woman looked over her shoulder and saw him seem to shake his head. "What's the matter?"

"Is it absolutely necessary for you to flirt shamelessly with your fellow villains? If Shigaraki Tomura was not impressed by your knife skills-"

"What's wrong with appreciating a work of art, huh?" She turned to face him, leaning forward against the counter on her elbows and ignoring the way his eyes narrowed on her. "C'mon! What's the deal? Jealous or-?!"

A hand rested on her back as Dabi leaned over. "He's not worth it, babe."

_What…is that word that you just used to refer to me? That…pet name…as if we are truly in such a relationship. No. I feel sick to my stomach, just at the thought. A murderer. A serial killer such as yourself._ Neneko's blood ran cold as he smirked over at her. "What's that? Think you're _special_, Staple Face? Told ya it's about power and that eye candy over there, prancing around in his tight costume, really gets me going!"

It was a dangerous thing to say. It might draw attention to her attraction to Jin. Worse, it might draw Jin's attention. She had to keep her identity a secret. Especially now that she was refusing to see him. Luckily, he disliked Mystic.

So far, she could tell that the danger was still present, but it was a quiet danger. A looming at the edge sort of danger, rather than the previous impending terror that came with threats from Kurono. She still had business to attend to there, but cutting off communication with Jin and her assistant had so far yielded good results. Chisaki seemed pleased by her self-induced isolation, at least.

**Shift P.O.V**

Jin was exceptionally glad for his mask as he stepped into the bar. He had witnessed her transformation, but it was still difficult to accept. Neneko was Mystic. His quiet, sweet soulmate was this crass, flirtatious villain. He had a theory she might be working with the police as an undercover informant. However, if this was the case, she was in great danger. She would need his help now more than ever.

Not that he had a problem with protecting Neneko. He loved her. He was glad for any opportunity to be able to do something for her. This just happened to be a really difficult situation.

Standing against the wall near the door, he heard her talking to Dabi. The two flirted back and forth, which was completely normal for Mystic. He was almost able to forget that it was actually Neneko. Remembering the transformation, he felt his heart start to beat faster.

Neneko, stripping away her bulky sweater and skirt in favor of Mystic's skintight dress and mask. He remembered every part of the translator's pale skin, every curve, every dip. He felt certain urges as he thought about her and when he stared at her from across the bar, he gritted his teeth.

Sweat collected on his scalp, making his hair damp beneath his mask. It stuck his mask against his face tighter. Jin usually felt so stable within his mask, but today he could feel an internal struggle. He wanted to keep his distance to respect her, but at the same time he wanted to scoop her up into his arms and kiss her. Mystic was Neneko. His soulmate was this villain that was currently being flirted with by Dabi.

Across the bar, he saw her turn so she was leaning back against the counter's edge. The oil-dark eyes, made so dark by contact lenses, met his gaze through his mask. He saw her lift a hand and give him a cute little wave.

"Hey, Panda Man! Looking good! Kheheheh! Enough to make a girl _thirsty_~!" she spoke softly in that gruff, growly fake voice.

It was probably the crudest thing she had ever said. Even when she flirted with Dabi, it was less forward than this. Her words, despite being in that fake voice, sent a jolt of excitement through him. Jin knew who was behind the mask and costume now. This was different from when she had teased him before; now he could only see his darling Neneko in place of Mystic.

She had no time to react. He was across the bar faster than she could move, both arms wrapped around her and lifting her off her feet so her chest pressed against his. "Awww! You really like me that much?! Super unladylike!"

The woman released a small squeak when he lifted her, gloved hands planting on his shoulders to steady herself and staring down at him. Her eyes were wide for an instant before half-closing in bliss. A gloved hand lifted, the back of her fingertips trailing along his cheek. "Mmm~ Yeah! See? Panda Man knows how to make a girl feel special!" she teased, looking over at Dabi.

Jin's heart was pounding in his chest, feeling her soft form pressed against him. Her costume left little to the imagination besides hiding her face. The low neckline afforded him a sight of pale cleavage when she was standing back from him. The fabric hugged her curves perfectly, giving everyone else a good view of her figure.

He kept one arm pressed against her back to keep her in place and lifted his free hand to grip her wrist. Jin rubbed her fingertips along his cheek again, catching the lingering scent of lavender and feeling a rush of pleasure run through him. Warm, tingly. Settling in the pit of his stomach and making him wish he could pull down her mask and see her face fully. Wishing they could both shed their masks and he could kiss her.

"Gross, babe. You know how _old_ he is?" Dabi gave the other two villains a smirk when they looked over.

Age was something that Jin had been trying not to focus on. Yes, he was older than Dabi. Probably. He was unsure of how old Dabi was, actually. He was unsure of how old Neneko was, too. She was at least older than her assistant.

Before he could stop himself, he blurted out. "Hey! Age is just a number! Awww! Why do you have to make me feel old?!"

A muffled laugh escaped the woman he was holding and Jin's pulse quickened. He knew that laugh. He loved that laugh; so light and pure like bubbles. Jin wanted to hug her tighter, but now he was drawing attention to them both. With reluctance, he set her down so she could stand.

The "villain" patted his cheek and seemed to almost grin up at him, but her mask hid it. "Twice is eye candy, Staple Face! Doesn't matter what ya say!" She gave him a wink and turned to ask Kurogiri for a drink.

Hearing her call him by his villain name gave him mixed feelings. He was a little excited by it, but at the same time he realized that by doing so she was putting a barrier between them. She was trying to be professional so, logically, he should too. If he drew too much attention to her, someone might start to suspect that she was working undercover.

He easily pushed away any worries and gave Dabi a thumbs-up before going over to engage in a conversation with Compress. His gaze shifted to her over and over as he talked, his thoughts completely different from what he was saying. _She looks so cute in her villain costume! I love her so much! Eh, she looks okay! No way! She's adorable!_

**Shift P.O.V**

Neneko was more than excited to go home. She hated dealing with Dabi even more after the encounter with Jin. The scarred villain was even clingier than usual and seemed to have grown possessive. If he saw her glance toward Jin, he would find some excuse to touch her and try to draw her gaze back to him. He made insinuations that made her stomach turn.

She decided to linger in the bar a while after Dabi left. If she went out too soon, she would run the risk of bumping into him or even being followed home by him. He had started to get persistent about meeting up outside of the bar.

While she flushed pink each time she thought about her encounter with Jin, it also brought forth a melancholy. It had been a week since she saw him, and she loved being held by the villain, but it felt like he had moved on from any feelings he might have had for her. Before the "break up", Jin would always rebuke Mystic's flirting and advances. He would recoil from her touch and had once boasted she could never make him cheat because she was not his type. Now he had seemed eager for her touch. It left Neneko feeling a bit depressed. Lonely.

_Jin…my most noble friend. My…heart hurts…to be unable to see your face, but this is how it must be until I've taken care of what must be done. As it stands, his life could still be in danger simply for being seen with me. Simply for speaking to me. I will…I must…face an uncomfortable inconvenience in order to make things safe for you, Jin. I must be brave…for you…_

She looked down the bar at where he was still talking to Compress. The teenage girl Toga had joined them and she looked excited. Adorable. When she saw Jin speaking to her, it made Neneko feel a pang of jealousy.

"Why're they being so loud? This isn't a real bar. Everyone should be gone already." The "boss" sat a few seats down from Neneko, making her look over, and proceeded to slouch forward a little, scratching at his neck. He sensed her looking his way and grumbled to himself. "What're you staring at, you quirkless freak?"

"Kheheh~ Just admiring the view, Boss Man!"

"What's that supposed to mean?"

It became apparent that the villain beside her had never been flirted with before in his entire twenty-something years of life. However, Neneko was not familiar with flirting so she was unsure of what to do now. The movies she had studied always had people that were cute and flirted back. This was just two shut-ins clearly coming to a stalemate.

Finally, Neneko slid a few yen notes toward Kurogiri from across the counter. "Alright, alright. I'm out for the night, Boss Man~" She gave a small, taunting bow and set off. She was fully aware of the fact that "Twice" was following "Mystic" out into the world.


	17. Chapter 17

NeonHorizon: The next chapter will be mostly from Twice's point of view. I love..._everything_...about him. I had to rewatch the second to last episode of season three, where it opens with Twice. I've seen it a dozen or so times, but I never get tired of it. Even if it's a bit sad...

* * *

Neneko still had goose bumps from the interaction with the villains. As she walked down a long dimly lit alley, she tried to calm her nerves. It was uncomfortable for her to spend so much time around them. She had difficulty being around people in general so, to be among such rowdy villains, left her unsettled.

_I am doing this for Jin…to protect him…but this is so difficult. I never imagined that I would be in such a situation, yet I've placed myself into it willingly. Shigaraki…such a malevolent man. His eyes hold nothing but hatred and I can sense his dislike for mankind. If he were to touch Jin…his quirk…he would decay Jin into nothingness…_

Just the thought was enough to make her eyes burn with forming tears. She hated dealing with the villains, but if it meant keeping Jin safe, she would do anything. Which was why this day was particularly rough for her. Neneko hated her villain persona Mystic; hated the fake voice, the fake personality, the closeness Mystic shared with Dabi. She could handle these things, though. What she could not handle was Twice.

Being so close to Jin, but having to keep her distance, was torture. However, it was a torture she had committed herself to. She knew it was necessary to keep a distance. If he knew that it was her, she feared what he might think. He might think she was a hypocrite. He might be angry or feel betrayed. She just wanted to keep him safe.

When Twice got so close to her, it made things even worse. Being held by him had made her want to hug back. She wanted to hold onto him and never let go, basking in the warmth that radiated from him. It was a new level of agony to have to pretend to be Mystic with Twice; crude, overly flirtatious. So unlike her true self that it made goose bumps form on her skin.

_I feel so strongly about him…I care so deeply about his safety. I'm afraid that I might…perhaps…I might…_The tears she had managed to keep at bay began to roll down her cheeks and dampen her mask. _I believe…I'm certain…this must be love. I've fallen in love with Jin and I can't see him without putting him in danger._

It hurt immensely, but she knew it was true. She had to keep her distance so her love would stay safe. Until everything was squared away with her shadiest client, he would be in danger. _I need to tend to it quickly. I'm uncertain of how much more I can take. I feel as though…I'm breaking apart…_

To top it all off, Twice was following her. He had been following her at a distance since she left the bar and she was completely aware of it. Neneko lifted a gloved hand, lowering her head to wipe at her eyes for a moment. _I must appear brave. I am…Mystic. I need to maintain my villain persona until Jin leaves. I apologize, Jin. I…love you too much to allow you to be harmed._

With her tears gone, she tensed her vocal cords and released a growly sort of chuckle. "What's the matter, Panda Man? Feeling clingy? Don't tell me you're needy like Staple Face!"

"Hey! I'm not clingy! You got me! I want another hug!"

She smiled genuinely behind her mask, behind the skeletal grin printed on the dark fabric. Turning to face him, she found the other masked villain approaching. "A _hug_, huh? Sure ya don't want _more_ than that~?" Despite the flirtatious tone, Neneko felt nervous butterflies seem to take flight in her stomach. She desperately wanted to feel him hold her again, but as herself it was much too dangerous. Twice could hug Mystic, but Jin could not hug Neneko.

He pointed at her, his arm waving a bit erratically. "What're you trying to say?! You think I'd want to do that with you? You're totally my type! Get over here!"

"Whatever ya want, Panda Man." Neneko approached, pulse quickening with each step closer to him. She half-expected him to push her away after that verbal rejection, but instead found his arms wrapping around her and pulling her against his chest. The translator felt heat rush through her and gripped his shoulders. "Kheheh! Careful there! What're ya-?"

Her back connected with the alley wall and she felt hands slip behind her thighs. His touch was warm, even through the fabric of both of their costumes. Neneko's legs were lifted up and around his waist as the villain leaned down. Her arms slid around his neck on reflex, to save herself from possibly being dropped.

The male villain's chest pressed tight against hers as his mask-hidden face drew close. A hand came up, covered fingers sliding through her dark hair within the hood of her costume. Neneko struggled to maintain her villain persona as a masked mouth met hers through her own mask. Her eyes slid closed, heart hammering as she felt his lips move against hers.

_Jin…but why…? Mystic? Why Mystic? Why would you do such a thing with Mystic? Such boldness. Such…_Her back arched as she felt his hips push against hers. A sound of pleasure escaped her, but it was muffled by the kiss.

Even through two layers of fabric, she could feel his lips desperately pressing at hers as if to break through the barrier. She almost wanted to weep from the painful pleasure this brought her. _As myself…I was the one to initiate a kiss so why…are you able to be so forward with Mystic? Is it due to her being a villain? What…would you do with Mystic?_

**Shift P.O.V**

He knew that she knew who he was. He also knew that she knew he followed her out of the bar. Neneko was really smart. It was one of the things that he loved about her; she was intuitive and intelligent. Still, he could not help worrying.

If she was working with the police or a hero to try to infiltrate the League of Villains, she was putting herself in a lot of danger. If any of the others found out, she would probably be killed. Jin gritted his teeth behind his mask as he watched her walk down the middle of the dark, empty alleyway.

Now that he knew that Neneko was Mystic, it was difficult to watch her interact with the others. Flirting with Dabi, talking to Compress like they were old friends, even talking to Shigaraki and attempting to flirt with him. He was sure that she was only doing this to try to blend in and make them trust her, but it still made his chest hurt when he saw it.

So, when he finally confronted her in the alley, everything had built up. The frustration of knowing she was in danger, the pain of seeing her with Dabi, the confusion regarding why she was masquerading as a villain. Jin moved without thinking, which led to this current situation.

The dark, the female villain pinned between him and the wall with her legs wrapped around his waist. Kissing through their masks. Her back arching so her chest pushed tighter against him. One of his hands was running through her hair, but the other moved now and pressed at her lower back.

His hips rolled against hers subconsciously, sending a rush of heat straight through him and drawing a muffled sound from her. He wanted to pull down her mask and take his off so they could be face to face, but he hesitated. Jin knew she was undercover. If he took away her mask, if he even alluded to knowing the truth, she would be in more danger.

He wanted to tell her how much he loved her. How much joy he got just from being around her. How great it felt to hold her this way. His pulse was rapid, anticipation forming as her ankles hooked behind his back to keep her steady. Warmth was settling in his lower abdomen and he had to stop himself from reaching to the edge of her mask to pull it down.

The hand on her lower back moved to her right leg, gliding along her knee and up her thigh. The fabric of her dress was pushed up little by little to display the dark, skintight material of her leggings. He frowned into the kiss, wishing they were in their normal clothes. Wishing they could be this way without her throwing herself into harm's way.

Now there was a struggle forming. The desire to pull down her mask was becoming overwhelming, among other desires. He could imagine the blush that was hidden by the dark fabric of her mask, the shape of her lips curling into a faint smile. _I want to see more of her face, but I can't expose her identity! I don't want her to get hurt! Nah! She'll be fine; just tear it off!_

She broke the kiss and leaned her head against the space between his neck and shoulder, her arms still wrapped around him. A muffled sigh could be heard as she gave him a light squeeze. "Kheheh! Feeling frisky, Twice? Careful. We wouldn't want to make Staple Face jealous~"

He tensed and drew his hands away for a second before holding her hips. "What're you talking about?! Dabi's not even here! I bet he's watching right now!"

Lifting her head to look at him, she quirked an eyebrow. "Wanna give him a show or something?" she teased.

A hand trailed down his chest, gloved fingertips gliding down his costume and finally lifting to press against his heart. Jin breathing hitched, teeth gritted as he fought the urge to expose her identity and do something unseemly in this dark alley._ I can't do that to her…what if she gets hurt? Totally worth it! I wanna make her all mine! No! She's…better than that. Not here. Not right now. Come on! She wants it! Just rip her costume and-!_

In her bag, her phone began to ring. Her eyebrows furrowed and she growled softly. Her left hand remained against his heart as her right hand trailed fingertips along the side of his face, through his mask. "Sorry, but duty calls. One more for the road, eh?" She leaned up, lips pressing against his through the fabric.

**Shift P.O.V**

She hated to part from him, but it was necessary. Things had gotten a little too heated between them in that alley. If he had taken off her mask, he would have known her identity in a heartbeat and she would have been exposed.

Her heart was still beating wildly in her chest as she rushed to change out of her costume and into her normal clothes. This time, she was sure that Twice had gone back to the bar to allow Mystic to attend to business, whatever it may be. She still felt hurt that he seemed to get over her so quickly, but if Twice could love Mystic, then it was good enough. As long as he was happy and safe.

The call had gone unanswered, but she intended to return the call as soon as she was in her apartment. When she finally did arrive home, she had to begin boiling water for some chamomile tea. Since he entered her life, the taste of chamomile reminded her of Jin. It was what she needed most in this moment; calm, happiness. Especially with the number listed as "Giran" calling her phone again.

_Do I answer as myself or…am I to answer as Mystic? I believe he has this number listed as Mystic. I am quite certain._ She grimaced at the thought of using the fake voice, but forced herself to do it. "What d'you want, old man?"

"Kuroiwa! So you found your phone? You didn't answer earlier."

Her heart seemed to drop as she registered what he had said. Recovering quickly, she began fixing a cup of tea. "Don't know what you're going on about-"

"Cut it out; I know who you are. "Mystic" is just a persona, right? I've gotta say, I'm impressed. That voice can't be easy on your vocal cords, Kuroiwa. And keeping up a character that's so different from your true self. I bet it's pretty tiring, right?"

She carried her cup of tea with her into the hallway, staring at the door to be sure it was locked. It was. "I suppose…you must have a good reason for this intrusion on my privacy, Giran-san." It felt good to use her normal voice. Much less painful and the words came naturally; no awkwardness or forcing herself to sound brave and bold.

"Straight to business, huh? You really are a professional. Okay, wanna talk about the fact that you said you didn't approve of the League and then threw on a disguise and joined? Does Bubaigawara know?"

"I do apologize, Giran-san, but I regret to say it is no business of yours."

"Riiiight. So he doesn't know." There was a quiet click of a lighter. "Let me guess. You joined to protect him, right?"

"I would prefer it if the other…villains…are left unaware of my true identity," she spoke. Neneko was trembling and leaned against the wall, eyes closing as she tried to remain calm.

"Okay, but why?"

"I do not condone their activities. I will not have my name attached to an organization that spreads hatred and vio-"

"But you work with yakuza." Giran's smirk could be felt through his tone. "It's kinda funny. Looking up "Kuroiwa Neneko" just brings up a translator, but if you do some digging around and have the right connections, you eventually find "Hitokoe Nageku". You worked pretty hard to hide that old name, didn't you?"

Neneko slid down the wall, clutching her teacup with a white-knuckled grip. "I suppose you intend to blackmail me…"

"Not at all! I just want you to consider the facts here! You're a smart lady; you know you'd be safe with the League. If you joined as a real member and put that quirk of yours to good use, you'd be protected. _Prized_, even. I mean, you want to cut ties with the yakuza, don't you? And wouldn't you feel better if you could be yourself with the League? Bubaigawara would be happy."

"I don't require the assistance of villains," she murmured, staring down at her tea. "Giran-san, I believe that you are threatening me."

"No, no! Not at all! Just thought I'd offer some helpful advice. And don't worry; I'll keep your secret, Kuroiwa. Just don't make me regret it!"


	18. Chapter 18

He was having the most pleasant dream. It was so simple, but it made him so happy. Lying beneath clean, fresh sheets. His arm wrapped around a warm, soft body. The comforting sound of her quiet breathing as she slept beside him.

Fingers lifted to trail through her silky, obsidian locks. She mumbled something in her sleep. Something sweet. Something that made his heart skip a beat. He gently brought her back closer against his chest and leaned up a bit so he could look down at her.

Neneko's expression was tranquil, but her lips were drawn into the slightest of smiles. He was so happy until he looked to her cheek. Marring her smooth porcelain skin was the deep scar that she had acquired the night they met. A reminder of how he failed to save her in time.

Jin woke in his bed in his hotel room; cold, alone, sweating. He missed the warmth from his dream and found himself rubbing at his face with one hand as the other reached for his phone. It was evening. Two days after he last saw Neneko.

The next meeting with the League of Villains would not be for a while so he would have to wait to see her again. Even then, she would be using her Mystic persona. Not exactly the woman he wanted to get close to. His frown deepened when he thought that to himself.

_She's still Neneko. No way! Mystic's way hotter!_ He closed his eyes, holding his cellphone tighter. _Mystic __**is**__ Neneko! She just acts different!_ The internal argument continued until he could no longer take it and forced himself to get up from the bed. He grabbed his cigarettes and lighter, walking to the window and hoping to distract himself from thinking about her.

Down below, a variety of people were wandering around the streets in the cool evening air. He watched them, feeling a bitter envy for how "normal" people could enjoy such things. "Sane" people. "Good" people. He lit a cigarette and felt his pulse quicken as he remembered the way Neneko often described him.

Chivalrous. Noble. Things that he, by no means, saw himself as. He could never see himself as the man she saw when she looked at him. It honestly hurt a little to know he was nothing like the way she saw him, but at the same time he felt good when she described him that way. It gave him a tiny flicker of hope that he might, possibly, be able to become what she needed.

He saw a couple in their twenties walking down the sidewalk, the woman smiling up at the man. They were holding hands, fingers laced, and the two looked so happy together. So normal. So perfectly content.

Blowing a bit of smoke down from his window, Jin frowned again and rubbed at his scar. _Could we ever be that way? Neneko doesn't like going out, but if we went out…would she want to walk like they are? Those two are never gonna last! They're probably gonna break up in a week!_ He shook his head and watched as the couple disappeared around a corner.

His dream of holding Neneko stirred up some other desires. He found himself daydreaming for a moment about what it might be like if they were in a real relationship. If they moved in together, what it would be like to wake up next to her every morning. If he proposed, how he would do it. What their wedding would be like. Obviously, it would be a very small and modest wedding. If they had children, what their kids might be like and what sort of parents they would be.

Jin was unsure of when he had finished his cigarette, but he found himself sitting on the floor with his back against the wall and his phone to his ear. The sound of ringing and then, finally, the soft greeting from his soulmate. "…Neneko…"

"Jin…" There was a pause, a meow in the background. "I am…truly happy to hear your voice." The translator's words held a warmth, a genuine joy. She sounded as if she was smiling and he could imagine her covering her mouth in that shy way she often did. "Is there…something that I can do for you?"

He ran his free hand through his hair, tugging at it gently as he closed his eyes. "I want to see you." It took courage for him to say this. He was terrified of being rejected. Of not seeing her as herself. Mystic was passionate and forward, but he preferred Neneko's timid sweetness.

"I…I would like to see you, too. I just…I can't…at the moment. Jin, you need to understand that it is dangerous for anyone to be near me now. I would love to see you. I…miss you…" Her tone dropped to sorrow and now it sounded like she may cry. "Jin…I…I dislike having to keep my distance, but it is for your own safety."

A mixture of emotions started to swirl in him. There was a tightness forming in his chest when he heard her sound so sad. He wanted nothing more than to wrap his arms around her and comfort her. There was anger and frustration from being kept at a distance from the woman he loved. A sharp pain in his head came with the sudden conflict of thoughts and tears burned at the corners of his eyes.

"Just…let me come over! I don't care about the danger! What kind of danger are we talking about here? I'm not putting my life at risk!" He gritted his teeth and opened his eyes. Jin's vision was blurry as he pushed himself to stand and leaned against the wall, his head bowed and his free hand frantically running through his hair. "Neneko, please!"

"Please…please, allow me to take action. I will do whatever I must to keep you safe. I…failed you before, but I will not fail you again. Jin, I wish only for your safety and happiness-"

"Just let me love you!" He covered his mouth, his heart hammering hard and fast in his chest. The man slid to his knees, head leaning against the wall beside him as he listened to the awful silence on the other end of the call. He had blurted it out, but he knew it was the absolute truth. Neneko was his soulmate. He loved her more than he had ever loved someone before.

When Neneko finally spoke again, it was clear that she was crying. Her voice was even softer than usual and sounded almost strained. "Jin, I…I will take care of the issue. I promise you. I will take care of it…I will eliminate the danger…"

**Shift P.O.V**

She was sitting on the edge of her bed, slouching, a hand lifted as she chewed on a loose thread on the hem of her sleeve. Neneko's heart was beating faster than she could ever remember it beating before. Hearing Jin's love confession made her immeasurably happy, but at the same time it brought her immense despair.

Neneko loved him more than anyone she had ever been with in the past. He was kind and warm, in his own strange way. Noble. Chivalrous. Even as Twice and Mystic, their villain selves, she still loved him. That was why it was so important for her to settle her business with the yakuza before Jin could be hurt.

The man was still arguing with her, adamantly, but he was also starting to come apart. He was not just arguing with Neneko, but also himself. Saying something and then contradicting himself, shortly followed by him angrily telling himself to shut up.

She closed her eyes and let the tears fall. Hearing him struggle this way made her feel like she was being heartless. She wanted nothing more than to comfort him. To be able to hug him and feel his embrace. When he held her, he made her feel safe and warm.

The time to enact her plan was quickly drawing near. Giran had been absolutely right when he assumed she was trying to sever her ties to the yakuza. She had to, if she ever wanted to keep the people around her safe. Though it would be difficult to do this. She knew a lot about the Shie Hassaikai and she would need to be clever if she wanted to make it out of the partnership alive.

Neneko was about to try to console Jin when she heard something that made her blood run cold. She bit her lip and turned her head slowly, staring at her bedroom doorway. The door was currently open to allow her cat to come and go freely, but the cat was sitting beside her on the bed now.

As quietly as possible, Neneko tiptoed to the doorway and lingered just beyond it. Not quite in view of the hallway. Still within the safety of her bedroom. She could hear voices in her apartment, in the corridor, near the main door. Neneko swiftly backed up toward her bed, glancing over her shoulder toward the window. "I apologize, but I must go now. Jin, I…I love you," she whispered as softly as possible, to keep the intruders from hearing.

The phone was tucked into her skirt pocket and she reached a hand toward her cat. Stroking her fingertips over its pale fur, she tried to calm her nerves. It was nearly impossible, given who was standing out in the hallway. She was not prepared for this. She had intended to request a meeting and do things on her own terms. Now she would have to improvise.

Kurono's masked face popped into view as he looked into her room. "There you are. Kai came to see you. He's got something he wants to talk to you about." His head turned slightly to look at her cat and then back to the translator.

She was trembling, but refused to show it. Instead, she lifted her free hand and chewed at her thumbnail. "I see. Yes, I will be there momentarily. Kurono-san, would you be so kind as to show Chisaki-san to the meeting room?"

He remained rooted to the spot, but a hand gripped the edge of her doorway. "Come on. You don't want to make him wait around for you, Kuroiwa. He's a busy guy. You should be grateful he took the time to-"

"I fully understand the magnitude of his ambitions," she stated firmly. Neneko lifted the pale cat in her arms, her violet gaze locked on Kurono's mask in a silent challenge. "Though I suppose I could not expect you to understand. I am a person of good etiquette and it is only polite to prepare tea for guests. Now, if you would be so kind, could you please show Chisaki-san to the meeting room?"

As she walked past Kurono to get out of the room, she felt a chill race along her spine. Standing near her apartment door was the young man currently acting as head of the Shie Hassaikai. There was something different about him on this visit and it took only a second for her to realize what it was.

He usually wore black pants, a black button-up shirt, and a pale tie. Paired with pure white shoes, pure white gloves, and a black medical mask to cover his nose and mouth. Casual yet also appropriate for business. Today he was wearing a green jacket with the sleeves rolled up and thick, purple fur around the collar of it. This looked strange, actually quite out of place, when compared to the rest of his outfit. Though he seemed unfazed by her moment of puzzlement.

"Neneko. It's been a while," he greeted her. His tone held no friendliness, no warmth. As usual, the man was all business when it came to associating with her. "I heard that you've been pretty busy. Kind of hard to get a hold of sometimes."

"Ah…Chisaki-san…good evening." She bowed, still holding her cat. The woman was a bit fearful of letting Yori get near the man. He always regarded the feline with a look of disgust that set her on edge. "Would you…mind waiting for me in the meeting room while I make tea?"

An eyebrow raised and he looked to Kurono, who simply nodded. Turning his gaze back to her, he gave a nod. "I know my way there. Kurono will help you carry the tea set."

_He does not trust me. Even after I have been nothing but cooperative with his malevolent whims._ She gave him a small, polite smile before excusing herself. The pale-haired yakuza member was close behind her and stayed in the kitchen doorway as she started boiling water for tea.

As Neneko brought the tin of green tea from the cupboard, her mind raced for what she could possibly do to save herself. There was obviously a reason for this visit. Chisaki Kai never visited her as a friend or anything of the sort. After all, they were business associates only. Their relationship was even less warm than her relationship with Kurono.

"You were raised in a traditional household, weren't you?"

The question left her a bit taken aback. Kurono rarely attempted small talk and almost never wanted to discuss something so personal. "Ah…yes…I was brought up in a traditional household. When I was younger, I took classes in flower arrangement and tea ceremony."

This was true, unfortunately. Her father had been obsessed with tradition. He never allowed her or her mother to indulge in anything involving foreign cultures. No foreign films, no western-style food, no clothes in a style unbefitting for a traditional Japanese girl or woman. It was this behavior that had most likely driven her mother into the arms of an Italian man after the incident killed him.

"Traditional _and_ quirk-less, huh?" He shook his head, almost as if in sympathy. The masked man took the tea set and carried it for her, walking behind the translator as she made her way to the meeting room.

Neneko seated herself across from Chisaki and bowed slightly. "I apologize for the delay, Chisaki-san. I hope that the tea is to your liking. I did not have cake, but I have mochi to offer as an accompanying sweet. I believe it will complement the flavor of the tea."

He saw her respectfully bow her head and carefully drew his mask down so he could indulge in the simple green tea. After a few sips, he replaced his mask and set the cup down. "You're an intelligent person so I'm sure you know why I'm here. You've been acting as our translator for a while now so you know how we operate. I know that you were born without a quirk so I've come to extend an offer to you that can ensure your safety. I want you to join the Shie Hassaikai and act as our translator exclusively."


	19. Chapter 19

It played in his head over and over again. Those sweet words, spoken in Neneko's gentle, whispery voice. They made his heart race and it took all of his self-control to not run to her apartment after hearing them.

Sitting on the bed in his motel room, he ran a hand through his hair and felt a smile taking form. She loved him. She had said those words to him and she really, truly loved him. Just thinking about it sent a rush of happiness through his being and he wanted to sweep her into a hug.

_I have to stay away, though. She told me to stay away_, he reminded himself. W_hich means she'll be even more surprised if I just show up unannounced!_ Jin frowned and lowered his head. _I can't do that. She said she was going to take care of whatever problem she had. If I go there, she'll be mad. No way! She'll be super happy to see me! Ladies love romantic crap like that!_

He was unsure of how long he had been sitting on his bed, but when his phone rang it made him jump a little. Jin's heart skipped a beat as he imagine it being Neneko and then his heart sank upon seeing Giran's name on the screen. "Yeah?"

"What are you doing right now?"

The man reached for his cigarettes and lighter, his frown fading a bit. As long as he could hold himself together, this interaction might help him take his mind off of her. "Having a smoke. Why? You need me to do something? Do it yourself, you old creep! Ngh! S-sorry…"

"How'd you know? I need your help with something in a little bit. See, I've got this friend that I think needs my help. I just need for you to keep a path clear long enough for me to get them out of their building."

"Uh…what time? I'm a busy guy, you know! You think I have time for this?" Jin was about to apologize again, but stopped himself out of fear of it growing annoying. _I'll take my mask. No way I can hold it together for the rest of the day._

"Let's see…" There was a brief pause. "Okay, how about you meet me in an hour? I'll send you the address. See you soon."

The call ended and Jin stared at his phone in puzzlement. Giran had never asked for something like this before. It was perplexing and the broker was acting shifty. He ran his fingertips along his scar and closed his eyes.

Hopefully, this task could act as a good distraction for him. Whatever strange, secretive, shady thing that Giran wanted help with, Jin was fine with it. He lit a cigarette and leaned back against the wall, his frown returning.

Thinking those words over and over again. Three simple words that brought him so much happiness. Not only had she told him she loved him, he had confessed his feelings as well. It made his heart feel fluttery. Rubbing the back of his neck now, he tried to imagine what sort of face she made when she heard him say it. How pink her cheeks had turned, how her lips had probably quivered for an instant before drawing into a sweet, timid smile.

**Shift P.O.V**

"I'll give you a week to rethink your decision."

The first words that Neneko heard as she was coming back. The world around her had blipped away for a short while. One moment she was sitting on her couch in the meeting room with Chisaki leaning toward her and the next moment, her life ended in one, large splatter of crimson. Now she was back to life, staring across at him as he reached for his gloves.

Three simple words. That was all it took for him to decide she needed to die. When offered to join the Shie Hassaikai, she simply told him "I must refuse". His posture changed, his eyes grew intense with cold hatred, and his tone changed as well. He demanded to know who she was choosing to work for instead of him.

Neneko attempted to explain that she just wanted to work with small business, but it was clear from his gaze that he knew there was another reason. It was the first time Chisaki had ever killed her and she knew she was lucky that he restored her back to life. She bowed her head, eyes beginning to grow wet with tears of shock from the experience. "Yes…Chisaki-san. I will look forward to our next meeting."

His gloves were on again. His eyes were narrowed on her as he stood. "Do you remember that man with the small business? _Maru_, wasn't it?"

A shiver ran down her spine and she nodded once. Neneko was now chewing on her thumbnail as she tried to avoid his gaze. Near the door, Kurono was completely unfazed by what had just taken place. _The next time that he kills me will be the last. I will need to leave the country then. Make preparations…but…I will never see Jin again._

"It would be too bad if there was another _Maru incident_, don't you agree?" Without another word to her, Chisaki exited the room and made his way to the apartment's main door. "Let's go, Kurono."

"Right behind you." Kurono spared her a brief glance, but his face was hidden behind his mask. "I thought you were smarter than that, Kuroiwa. Don't turn him down again, got it?"

The apartment door closed and locked behind them, alerting her to the fact that they had a key to her home. Neneko trembled and curled in on herself, tears flowing freely. _I have to leave the country if I want to escape. I never thought it would come to this. In order to be free, I will be forced to leave everything behind._

Neneko hurried to her bedroom with her cat close behind. She began stuffing clothes into a bag, panic making her move without thinking. It was only as she was struggling with the zipper that she remembered she would need to first sort out booking a flight out of Japan. Of course, she was unsure of where she could even go.

She abandoned her bag and rushed to her office to search for a flight. _United States. Ireland. Russia. Germany. I have to get far away from here. Even then, I will need to maintain a low profile. I know from the translations that Chisaki's influence is beginning to spread quite a ways._

There was a flight to Ireland that looked promising so she settled on that. Neneko grabbed her purse and a jacket next, knowing that she would need to get all of her money turned to cash so there would be no electronic trail. She slipped her shoes on and opened the door, still panicking a bit and hurrying.

The translator stopped in her tracks when she spotted the muscular, masked man awaiting her. He was a good deal taller than her, definitely stronger than her, and he was wearing a vaguely penguin-like mask in black and white. The very sight of him made her blood run cold and stumbled back a step. "Ah…excuse me, sir…?"

The man had been facing away, as if guarding her door, and seemed smug when he looked at her. "Going somewhere, Kuroiwa?"

**Shift P.O.V**

Jin could hardly believe it. He had gone to the address Giran sent him and it was Neneko's apartment building. Standing in the alley, near the maintenance entrance, he was sweating bullets and going through cigarette after cigarette.

_He knows about her! That's gotta be it! No way! It's just a coincidence! _He held his head with both hands, gritting his teeth and destroying the cigarette he had just lit. _What am I gonna do?! He'll tell Shigaraki! Giran's great with secrets! He'll tell Shigaraki and he'll want her to join! I can't let it happen! I can't-!_

"Bubaigawara, over here." Giran entered the alley, giving him a casual wave and a smirk. "So what do you think? Nice place, isn't it?"

"You…said your friend lives here? Who're you trying to fool, huh?! I know my own soulmate's building!" He slapped a hand over his mouth as he sank down to the ground, leaning heavily against the alley wall.

"_Soulmate_, huh?" Giran lit a cigarette and half-grinned. "I knew you were serious about her. You got me; we're here to rescue your princess."

"…what're you talking about…?" Jin tasted blood and realized that he had bitten the inside of his cheek.

"I'll explain why later, but I've been keeping tabs on Kuroiwa. Everything's been pretty normal until today. A big fish went to see her, if you catch my drift. I get the feeling he came here to take her. My sources told me he left the place empty-handed, but he left a few guys behind to guard the place and tail her if she leaves."

"Why are you doing this though? You really wanna help or is this about getting her for Shigaraki?"

Giran quirked an eyebrow and released a sound of resignation as he looked toward the building. "She'd be good for the League, but I'm not gonna push her into it. I don't wanna make a woman like her my enemy. Really, I'm doing this to help _you_, Bubaigawara. I won't even charge you for the consultation."

He was still a little skeptical, but pushed himself to stand. "What's your plan? If she's got people guarding her-"

"It's not a lot of guys. Just a few hanging around in the maintenance stairs and the lobby. Probably a couple on her floor, too. All I need you to do is clear the stairs and I can help her slip out without being noticed. I'll make the accommodations for her to stay somewhere until we get this sorted out, but-"

"N-no…she'll stay with me," Jin argued. He managed to pull himself together and looked toward her building with determination. _Save the princess…_His pulse quickened at the thought and he grimaced in frustration. The thought of someone keeping her trapped, under surveillance, made his blood boil. Jin would rescue her no matter what. He just needed to be careful that he did not take so much damage that his body was reduced to the mucky puddle that all doubles became when they died.

**Shift P.O.V**

"Sir…? I don't believe we've met." Neneko tensed as the masked man took a step toward her. He had wild sort of orange-pink hair that made him look all the more intimidating. Like a feral creature about to attack.

"Doesn't surprise me. He forgot to tell you." The man laughed wickedly and crossed his arms. "The name's Rappa. I'm your bodyguard for the next week, got it? If you think _you_ hate it, imagine how _I_ feel! This is a huge waste of my time and energy, but he wants to make sure you don't disappear on us."

"Ah…I see…" She tried to maintain a calm expression and bowed slightly. "It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Rappa-san."

"I don't know what the big deal is. What? Are you super strong or something? Why's he want you so bad?"

"I can honestly say that I have no idea." She winced when he chuckled. "I need to…get food for my cat, Rappa-san. If you will excuse me. This is a mundane task that is surely beneath you so-"

"You're damn right. So you know what we're going to do?"

Neneko could feel the smugness, the frustration, the excitement all radiating from this yakuza underling in front of her. She tried to step around him, her anxiety swiftly growing when he stepped closer. "Rappa-san?"

"You're gonna sit in your apartment like a good girl."

"W-wait! Please, sir!" Her upper arm was snatched by a large, powerful hand that surely would leave a bruise. Neneko was hauled back into her apartment, the man slamming the door shut behind them. _No! No, no, no! I have to escape from here! This is….this is the worst…scenario that I could imagine!_

The man loomed over her, his shoulders almost too broad for the narrow little corridor. "Look, girlie, if you need stuff just tell me and I'll send somebody else to get it. I'm not letting you out of my sight for the next week." He smirked and lowered his head, glaring at her closely. "What're you gonna do? Are you gonna _cry_? Pretty sure I heard that idiot Chrono say you were seeing some guy. Is _that_ where you were really going?"

She felt like her knees might buckle. Bracing a hand against the wall, Neneko bowed her head. _They…they know about Jin?! If Kurono said that…then they must know about Jin! No…no, no, no! I can't allow this! Jin!_ Her hand curled into a fist and she lifted her sharp violet eyes to narrow upon the man.

He snorted. "Heh. You know, you're kinda cute when you're pissed off. You wanna fight or something?"

"…get out…" she murmured in warning.

"What's that? You think you can order me around just 'cause Overhaul thinks you're special?" Rappa started toward her, hands curling into fists at his sides. He drew an arm back, as if readying to attack.

Neneko took a deep breath and stormed forward. She grabbed the front of his shirt and yanked the man's face down close to hers so there were only a few inches between her nose and his mask. Her thoughts were far from clear. Her number one concern now was protecting Jin, which she could not do from her building.

The translator's lips parted and her vocal cords felt like they lit ablaze. "You are a pathetic lump of flesh with no manners and you smell like blood and sweat! You call yourself yakuza and you are nothing but trash! I suggest you run back to Chisaki-san like a dog with its tail between its legs in defeat!"

The man began to tremble. He stumbled back from her grip, limbs shaking and shoulders hunching forward. Rappa mumbled something, but it was too quiet to hear. He held his head in his hands, hiding his face from her view. All of that fierce energy was draining away quickly and leaving behind an unmotivated, fearful shell. "I'm weak…I'm so damn weak! What is this?!"


	20. Chapter 20

Waiting outside, he could feel adrenaline pumping through his veins. Jin wanted to run into the building and save Neneko. The longer he had to wait, the more anxious he began to feel. Giran told him to stay there until he called to give him the okay to enter.

He leaned against the wall, his mask in his hands. His head felt like it was splitting apart already and it only got worse with each rapid beat of his heart. _She needs my help. What if we don't get to her in time? She can handle herself! She's a strong, independent lady! She could still get hurt!_

A hand pressed at the side of his head, teeth gritted as sweat collected along his hairline. Jin imagined her door behind surrounded and busted open. He imagined her getting attacked and instantly remembered the night they had met. The cut on her cheek. The men that had trapped her in that alley.

"I can't let that happen again…" he murmured. Jin lifted his mask and was about to put it on when Giran called him. "Yeah?"

"Okay so I have some new details. It looks like I might've underestimated the situation-"

"We've gotta save her! Nah! This sounds pretty bad!"

"Right. I figured you'd say that. There's a big guy that they left in front of her door. Might wanna make a double or something to help you out."

_A double?_ Jin stared down at his mask again, his eyes narrowing. He had only been with the League of Villains for a little while. He only had the measurements for two of the other members memorized. Tightening his grip on the mask, he nodded to himself. "Okay…I'll do that."

"I'm taking the main entrance as a decoy. You head in through the maintenance door as soon as you get that double made."

He was about to use his quirk, but then grimaced and bowed his head. Rubbing lightly over his scar, he inhaled shakily. "What about you? Are you gonna be okay? If they go after you-"

"Don't worry about me." He paused and when he spoke again, his tone indicated that he was more amused than frightened. "You focus on clearing the way for your soulmate, Bubaigawara."

Right…right! I can do this! I have to…put on my mask, though so I can hold myself together. Jin drew it down over his face and felt instant relief wash over him. The splitting pain subsided and he looked up to the sky, trying to remember which level Neneko was on in case he could see her windows, but realized he was on the wrong side of the building for her windows.

His only options for a double were Dabi or Compress. Since it was close quarters in the stairway, he knew that Dabi would be a bad choice. He wanted to save Neneko; not burn the building down. Besides, Dabi liked "Mystic". Shaking his head, he knew he had to make a double of Compress instead.

"So what exactly are we doing?" the other masked man inquired.

"We've gotta save the princess!" He gave him a thumbs up that received a simple head tilt in response. "We've gotta save the princess! Let's go! Or not! I don't need your help!" He waved his arms frantically in his excitement and frustration at Compress's lack of understanding.

"A princess? You want me to help you rescue a woman?"

"That's right! She's the cutest, sweetest girl ever! Get your butt in there and start clearing a path for her!"

Compress tugged his hat down a bit more and shrugged to himself. "I guess you're not giving me a choice."

"Hell no! Hey, it's cool! Only help if you wanna!"

"I'm going, I'm going." Compress opened the maintenance door and entered ahead of him.

**Shift P.O.V**

The apartment door was blocked by the muscled yakuza member currently curled up in a ball on her floor. Neneko took a step back, her pulse racing and her throat still burning from raising her voice. She kept her eyes focused on him as she tried to decide what to do next. Staying in her apartment was out of the question.

_This man…is very strong. Wild. An asset to the Shie Hassaikai. They know that I lack physical strength. They believe that I'm quirk-less. They could have easily left a lesser underling, but they left Rappa as a threat. He was meant to intimidate me so I would be too afraid to leave the apartment. That can be the only reason for them to leave someone like him. Otherwise…this is overkill._

She knew that she had to keep Rappa weakened. At least long enough for her to get the blade hidden beneath the table in the meeting room. Thankfully, she had the foresight to close her cat in her bedroom before trying to flee the apartment.

Unfortunately, the man's will was quite strong. He muttered something, too quietly for her to hear, and then slammed his fists against the floor. A guttural roar was released, making Neneko jolt backwards. She lifted a trembling hand to her mouth as he turned his head toward her.

"You little-! You're not supposed to have a quirk! What the hell did you do to me?!" He surged forward and grabbed her arm, swinging her into the wall with force. A large hand covered her mouth from behind and he pinned her right arm against her back. "They told me this was gonna be an easy job! "Just guard Kuroiwa for a week. She's quirk-less. She's just a translator." Tch. They didn't even suspect it, did they? You've got some kind of strength-sapping quirk, don't you? You're just a squeaky little mouse!"

Neneko's eyes closed as she tried to remain calm. Her arm was already beginning to ache and her breathing was restricted by his hand. _I must stay calm so I can find a way to escape. What are his intentions? He knows of my quirk. If I can get free, I can scream and…hopefully it will be enough to stop him for a while._

Cruel laughter came from the man behind her. "I wonder what they're gonna do to you when I tell them your secret! I bet they're gonna have your mouth stitched up! Or maybe they'll get you a muzzle!"

She stayed still, knowing that if she fought against him it would only cause him to hold tighter. The harsh impact with the wall had opened a wound above her left eyebrow. There was a trickle of warmth running along her cheek, over her scar. _If I'm unable to get away…what will happen to me? What are their plans? And Jin…I must get to him! I have to protect him from them!_

"Let's try this again, Kuoriowa. I'm gonna take you into this room over here. You're not gonna say a peep, got it? I see your mouth open and I'll take you out. You understand?"

The translator gave a nod and soon found herself being hauled into the meeting room. Rappa pushed her down onto one of the couches and settled himself comfortably on the other. In all honesty, Neneko could not have asked for a better place to be if she intended to escape now. She watched him, waiting for just the right moment.

**Shift P.O.V**

Jin was out of breath and exhausted after fighting his way up the stairs to her floor. At least his mask was keeping him from feeling like he would split apart. He opened the door slowly and peeked into the hallway. There was no sign of Giran, which instantly made him fear for the man's safety. Turning to the Compress double, he saw him tilt his head.

"I'm gonna go save the princess! You look for Giran, got it? Or do whatever you want! I don't care!"

"I'll find Giran," Compress agreed. He set off down the hall toward the elevator area, leaving Jin behind to rescue Neneko.

His heart was beating out of control now, even with the mask on. Excitement. Fear. He worried about what sort of condition she was in. As Jin got to her door, he found it unlocked. In that instant, he felt panic rising up. "Neneko! Hey, Neneko! Your hero's here to save you! Yeah! I _love_ hide and seek!"

The door was pushed open and he entered swiftly. There was blood on the wall in the little hallway, at about head height. His heart started to sink as he ventured further into the apartment.

Frantic meowing was coming from down the hall, behind her bedroom door. He made a quick mental note to return for the cat once he knew where Neneko was. The meeting room door was open and he heard a quiet mumbling from within.

Jin reached the doorway and froze. Trembling hands lifted to pull his mask off and he crossed the room faster than he had ever moved before. He wrapped both arms around Neneko's shaking form and pulled her against his chest. "Neneko…come on. We have to get out of here."

He was wary of the volume of his voice due to the heavily muscled man curled up in the corner. The man that was currently hugging himself and mumbling in despair. The man that was bleeding profusely from a number of cuts and stab wounds.

Neneko dropped the bloody knife she was holding and wrapped her arms around Jin's neck. "…I'm sorry…I'm sorry…I'm so sorry…" she whispered. Her tears wetted the side of his neck and something smeared against his cheek. Something wet and smelling faintly metallic.

The villain gently carried her out of the room, closing the door. He told her to go get the cat and whatever she needed. As he stood there, Jin felt a tightness in his chest. Tears burned at the corners of his eyes and he gritted his teeth in outrage and sorrow. When she had pulled away to leave, he had seen her face.

There was a gash above her left eyebrow and it had spilled blood down that side of her face, crimson against her porcelain skin. The blood he had seen in the hall was hers. When she looked into his eyes, there was so much pain reflected in her sharp violet gaze. Her voice had sounded hoarse, as if she had been crying.

_Why didn't I come sooner?! She got hurt again and I couldn't do anything! I did my best and that's all that matters! That wasn't my best! If I did my best, she wouldn't be bleeding like that!_ He held his head with both hands, fingertips digging at his scalp. The splitting pain was starting to return and he sank to his knees on the floor of the hallway.

His moment of despair was shattered by a pair of arms wrapping around him. Jin tensed, his eyes widening. When he looked over at Neneko, he felt his pulse skip a beat. A blissful warmth ran through his entire being and he gently held her, afraid of causing her any further pain.

Neneko's hand lifted and she ran her fingers through his hair, comforting him. It was almost enough to make him forget about the various bruises and scrapes he had acquired fighting his way up the maintenance stairs. The translator's soft voice gave him reassurance. "Jin…thank you for coming for me…"

He held her a little tighter, the tears from earlier escaping and running down his cheeks. Before she could potentially see him cry, he pulled his mask down and scooped her up in his arms. "Okay! Let's get out of here and go somewhere more private! Ugh! I'm exhausted!"

"Ah…just a moment. My belongings…I need to-"

"I got 'em." Giran stepped in through the door and gave them a sheepish half-grin. He lifted the cat carrier and slung Neneko's bag over his shoulder. "I recommend the maintenance stairs. The double's dead so we don't have to worry about him. How much of a mess did you leave, Bubaigawara?"

**Shift P.O.V**

Neneko was fading in and out of consciousness throughout the journey down the stairs. She clung to Jin with what strength she had, but it was a struggle just to keep her eyes opened. She had used her quirk three more times to try to keep Rappa weak enough for her to escape, but he had found his motivation again over and over. He was too much of a brute to stay weakened for long.

Their actual physical fight had nearly finished her off. Neneko knew her ribs were bruised and she would be lucky if none of them of them were broken. The man never hit her, but she had been tossed around like a ragdoll. Her limbs ached, her chest hurt when she breathed, and her throat felt like it was on fire, but at least she was alive.

_Jin is alive, too._ She looked up at his masked face as he burst through the maintenance door and out into the grey afternoon. Storm clouds were gathering overhead as he let Giran lead the way down the alley. Neneko gently trailed her fingertips along his cheek through his mask, attempting a weak smile.

His head tilted downward to look at her and his eye markings seemed to indicate he was smiling back at her. "Don't worry, Neneko! I'll get you somewhere safe! We're going wherever Giran says!"

She blinked slowly and shifted her gaze to Giran, who was briskly walking ahead of them with the cat carrier. Thankfully, the cat was silent. Closing her eyes again, Neneko let her head fall against Jin's chest. _I know what I must do now. I will not enjoy it, but…at least we're closer now._

Licking her lips, she tasted blood and winced. "Jin, I…am so glad that you are alright. I wanted to tell you in person…properly…I love you. When I heard that the yakuza knew about our relationship…I…"

"Awww! I love you, too! We're soulmates so of course we love each other! And I'm gonna do whatever it takes to protect you! As long as it doesn't hurt!"


	21. Chapter 21

_I…look wretched._ Neneko braced both hands on the edge of the bathroom sink and leaned toward the mirror more. The left half of her face was caked in dried blood and the wound above her eyebrow was throbbing. Her hair was in tangles, her clothes were blood-stained and torn. Her throat still burning from overusing her quirk.

She knew her ribs were most definitely bruised. In addition to the plethora of bruises she had acquired during her fight with Rappa, Neneko had also sprained her right ankle and damaged her right wrist in some way because it made cracking sounds when she rotated it. _What should I do now?_

Outside of the bathroom, Jin was still asleep. The two had passed out shortly after they arrived in his motel room. Thinking about how she had woken up in his arms made her heart flutter and she hid her smile behind her hand. Despite the horrors she had endured the previous day, it had been the best sleep she had experienced in a while.

_Clothing…I need clean clothing and I need to clean my wound. Once I wipe away the blood, I should be able to tell if I require stitches._ Neneko limped back to the other room and caught her gaze settling on Jin.

He was sleeping on his back, the blankets settled at stomach level. His resting expression was peaceful, sweet. It made warmth rise to her face and she bowed her head to break line of sight. It was still hard to believe that she was now able to be with the man she loved. Sleeping together, living together. At least for a little while, until other accommodations could be made.

Neneko hobbled to the side of the bed and sat as carefully as she could. A hand reached out, fingers gently running through his hair. She wished that she could relax and sleep again, be held by him again, but she was a mess. Her own upbringing was making her feel absolutely disgusted with her own appearance now.

The problem was that she had no clean clothes of her own. When Neneko packed a bag, she had packed items of great importance. Several USB sticks containing valuable information about the Shie Hassaikai as well as many of her other clients. Her laptop, the laptop charger, an address book, a notebook full of little details about each of her clients, her phone and charger, toothbrush, and her wallet. No family photos. No clothing. Only these valuables.

She looked down at her clothes and felt her disgust growing. Dried blood had crusted on the front of her shirt and skirt. Not her own blood, but Rappa's. As she got up to try to find something she could possibly borrow from Jin, she felt a warm and gentle hand close around her wrist. "Jin…?"

He was still a little groggy from sleep, but blinked up at her before a sheepish sort of smile tugged at his lips. "Uh…morning."

Neneko was unable to keep herself from smiling back. "Good morning."

As he woke up more and more, his eyes widened and he looked away. Jin released her wrist and pushed himself to sit up, running his fingertips over his scar anxiously. "Your clothes…uh…" He looked at the floor and then he nodded to himself. "Neneko, just…sit down, okay? I'll take care of this."

"No, you don't need to trouble yourself. Jin, you have done plenty already."

"No! I…I want to do this for you. Please."

"Ah…alright. Thank you." She sat, as he had requested, and watched him begin sorting through the small assortment of clean clothes that he owned. As he did this, she made a mental note that she would need to procure some new clothes for herself as well a gift to thank him. Though she knew it would never be enough to repay all that he had done for her.

**Shift P.O.V**

He hated to smoke so close to her, but he needed to keep himself calm. Most of the previous day's unpleasantness was being overshadowed by the pure euphoria of waking up beside his soulmate. Jin had been woken by the feeling of her delicate fingers trailing through his hair and it was better than he ever could have dreamed.

Now he was kneeling in front of the bed with her sitting on the edge. Jin was really carefully cleaning the blood from the left side of her face while trying to keep his cigarette held out to the side. Once the blood was gone, he could see that the wound above her eyebrow was pretty deep, but had scabbed over at least.

_She'll have another scar. It's my fault that this happened; I wasn't fast enough! She's gonna look so cool with this scar!_ He gritted his teeth and closed his eyes as he tried to fight down that splitting feeling that was attempting to push to the surface.

Gentle fingertips caressed his cheek, making his heart pound. Neneko's skin was warm and soft, bringing him immense comfort just from this simple gesture. He subconsciously leaned into her touch and focused solely on this. That painful splitting sensation gradually faded and was replaced with bliss.

"Jin…are you alright?" Her voice was soft, but there was a slight hoarseness. It sounded like it hurt for her to speak.

"I'm fine." He opened his eyes and found himself looking up into the sparkling violet of Neneko's concerned gaze. _Don't make her worry! Tell her you're great! No...this is fine._ Jin leaned back and brought his cigarette to his lips, head turning to the side to avoid looking at her.

She was wearing one of his shirts. A simple black tank top that was too loose on her. One strap was falling half-way off her shoulder and the neckline was too low. None of his pants would fit her so she was still wearing her blood-stained, ripped skirt from the night before. It was the sight of her wearing his shirt that was making his pulse race now.

"Uh…here…" He slipped off the blue button-up shirt he was wearing and offered it to her. There was a quiet rustle as she put it on. He felt himself becoming self-conscious now that his top layer of protection was gone. All of his bruises and scrapes were much more visible at this point.

Jin worked on wrapping her sprained ankle as she combed her fingers through her hair in an effort to remove the tangles. Giran called, as he had expected, and asked for them to meet him somewhere. A heavy feeling settled in the pit of his stomach after the call.

He had wanted to keep Neneko to himself for as long as he could. _Giran wants her to join the League. I know that. I don't want her to get hurt, though. Could she just work with Giran? He'd keep her safe, wouldn't he? Are you kidding?! She's got an awesome quirk! She's gotta use that for the League!_

**Shift P.O.V**

"So what're your plans, Kuroiwa? You don't have anywhere to go, do you?"

Her eyes narrowed and lifted from her meal to look in Giran's direction across the table. The restaurant they were in was the definition of shady. Low lights, unscrupulous patrons, smoke in the air, greasy food. It made her feel like a criminal, but she was technically on the run.

"I am aware of what you intend to ask," she began. "You would like for me to join. Am I correct?"

He pushed up his glasses with one finger and smirked. "You really like to get straight to the point, don't you? Smart girl. Okay, so, before you give me your answer…let me tell you why you should join."

At her side, Neneko could see Jin slouching in his seat and pretending to focus on his food. However, she saw his eyes dart in her direction to steal a glance. "I suppose…since you did help me escape…I can hear your explanation."

"Great! Alright, I know you already know that we can provide protection, but let me tell you some of the other benefits of joining."

_I feel as though he is attempting to sell me something._ As she listened to him talk, she could easily imagine Giran as a salesman. He used words she knew were popular with motivational speakers, which impressed her ever so slightly.

Despite his shadiness, Giran did make some convincing points. He talked about the security of joining the group and explained that the group mostly consisted of people that just wanted a place where they would be accepted as they were. "So…wouldn't you rather join and not have to hide who you are?"

She glanced toward Jin, feeling her stomach twist anxiously. She had never told him that she was the "quirk-less" villain Mystic. A warning look was directed at Giran just as his smirk grew into a grin. _No. Please, no._

"Mystic isn't who you really are, is she?" He chuckled as Jin choked on his drink and the translator flushed red. "Now. How would you feel about putting that quirk of yours to good use?"

Attempting to keep some level of dignity, she lowered her gaze to her cup of tea and tried to get her embarrassment under control. "Giran-san, I use my quirk as sparingly as possible. It causes great strain to my vocal cords."

"She's not…ngh! Don't make her do something she doesn't want to do!" Jin's eyes widened as he held his head. "Giran, you said you wouldn't-!"

"I didn't say I wouldn't ask her. I said I wouldn't flat-out tell Shigaraki about her." Giran lit a cigarette and leaned back in his seat. "Okay, how about this? You don't have to use your quirk if you don't want to. You'll still have to let them know what it is, though. That's just the _polite_ thing to do, right?"

She saw Jin preparing to argue with him again, but she stopped him by placing a hand on his shoulder. "If I do agree to join…I have rules. I refuse to kill and I refuse to use my quirk unless the situation is absolutely dire."

"Fair enough. Just make sure you're contributing somehow."

"Wait…no! Neneko, you can't join! I won't let you…" Jin closed his eyes tightly, gritting his teeth as he began to sweat. "I don't want you to get hurt! We'll have so much fun together! We really are soulmates!"

"Jin…" Neneko drew closer to him and lightly wrapped her arms around him. "I assure you, it will be alright. If I join…we will always be together. This way, I will be able to protect you…" she whispered.

Giran watched this display of affection, eyebrows raised in surprise. "Wow. You two really are a couple, huh? Crazy." He blew some smoke off to the side and pulled his phone from his pocket. "Okay. You're gonna go by the villain name "Sorrow". Like your birth name, right? Or something like that. I'll let Shigaraki know we've got a new member coming to the next meeting."

He looked up from typing something and saw Neneko gently kiss Jin's cheek. The villain's trembling ceased and he looked to her, a faint smile attempting to form on his face. Giran half-grinned. "You know, you two are actually pretty perfect together. You've both got your little "issues". So you have clothes, right? What're you gonna do with your hair?"

Neneko subconsciously reached to a strand of obsidian hair hanging beside her face. "I only packed what I deemed to be of great importance. Clothes were overlooked. What do you mean about my hair?"

"Well, for one, you're gonna need new clothes. And you'll have to do something with your hair. Cut it. Dye it."

"Absolutely not." She had never dyed her hair. When she was growing up, her father forbid her from coloring it or having it cut shorter than collarbone length. It was deemed as going against tradition. She, like her mother, both had long straight black hair and her father saw it as the definition of traditional beauty. As much as she despised her father, this was deeply ingrained since childhood and held true now.

"Okay…? Well at least wear a hat or something. Maybe you could style it? I always see you with your hair down so that should be enough of a change. As far as clothes go, I can get some and bring them by the motel. I'll just need your sizes."

"I wear skirts and shirts with long sleeves," Neneko stated. "I can give you money for the clothes, but those are-"

He interrupted her with a laugh. "You're going to wear whatever I pick out. Seriously, you can't look the exact same way you always do. You're hiding from some pretty bad guys, Kuroiwa."

Before parting ways with Giran, Neneko asked him about her cat and gave him the feline's feeding instructions. He nodded as if he was listening and understood, but she could tell by his disinterested expression that he was eager to tell Shigaraki about her quirk. It frustrated her. Almost everything about her situation frustrated her. Everything except for Jin.

He was walking close with her down the alley, allowing her to lean against him as a makeshift crutch as she limped along. The man still seemed upset about her joining the League of Villains, but chose not to argue with her more. As he stole a glance at her, he frowned and bowed his head. "Neneko, I…don't want you to get hurt," he spoke, his free hand rubbing the back of his neck.

"I have no desire to see you harmed," she agreed. "Jin…I have made this decision for a variety of reasons. The main reason why I chose to join is that I want to be with you. If doing this will let me spend more time at your side…as _myself_…I will set aside my dislike for the League and I will provide assistance."

The corner of his lips twitched upward. "Can I carry you?"

She paused in her steps and smiled in relief. "I…would greatly appreciate it if you would. Thank you, Jin." As he lifted her, her arms slid around his neck. She leaned up, her lips pressing against his in a warm kiss. Hoping to distract herself from her growing anxiety.


	22. Chapter 22

_This is a necessary inconvenience_, she reminded herself. Neneko frowned and tried to go over the positives of what she was about to do. _Giran said that they accept anyone. That I should just be my genuine self and they will accept me. Can something like acceptance outweigh the violence and hatred that their group is founded on?_

An additional discomfort was her current outfit. Giran had met with them the previous day and gave her what he had collected as well as a costume for her villain self. It was immediately apparent that this was his way of teasing her.

The costume consisted of a black dress with long sleeves and a hood. It ended a few inches above the knee and the hem was a familiar pale shade that mirrored the pale parts of Jin's costume. There were knee-high boots to match that same color. The edge of her hood was a pale shade as well. Over her left breast the kanji for "sorrow" was embroidered in thick white thread.

Neneko had grudgingly secured her long black hair into a braid that hung over the front of her right shoulder, but left a thick section free to hang over the left side of her face. There was no mask. No contacts to alter the color of her eyes. No makeup to hide her scars. She had nothing to hide behind now.

When she hesitated to approach the door to the bar, Twice looked over his shoulder at her with his head tilted. His face was already hidden beneath his mask, but he seemed a little worried. Neneko bit her thumbnail and averted her gaze. "I must admit…I am a bit anxious. I know it must seem ridiculous; I've met them before. However…that was as Mystic."

He turned sharply to face her, taking both of her hands in his as his masked face hovered a few inches above hers. "You're gonna do _great_! Everyone's gonna love you! Don't fall on your face!"

She stifled a small laugh, but smiled and nodded. "You…really are very sweet, Jin. I do not deserve someone as kind as you."

"What?! How can you say that? Well yeah! I'm out of _everyone's_ league!"

The door was opened by Twice and she was ushered inside. Neneko had considered how she would introduce herself. Of course, she would refrain from mentioning Mystic. She had no desire to be associated with that raunchy persona she had created previously. She wanted to come across as professional and aloof. After all, she had more or less been pressured into this by Giran.

Before she could speak, Twice blurted out his own introduction. "I found this random lady outside. This is my soulmate Sorrow! Isn't she the cutest?!"

"I…had thought that was meant to be kept secret," she murmured. Looking to the others in the bar, she realized that rest of the League of Villains had congregated there ahead of them. They were now being stared at.

Neneko bowed her head, but watched them with upraised eyes. "It is truly a pleasure to make your acquaintance. I go by the name Sorrow. Giran-san informed me that I would be welcomed among you."

"That's your girlfriend, Twice? I didn't think she was real." Dabi stalked across the room, smirking down at her. "What's with the weird hairstyle? You have some ugly scars or something? And speak up."

"My appearance is of no concern to you."

"Hey, Dabi! If you don't have something nice to say, don't say anything at all! Those scars are my fault anyway!"

_What…did he say…? Does Jin blame himself for my injuries? These injuries…caused by my own carelessness._ She turned her head to the side to look at Twice and found her hand being grabbed by him. Before she could say anything, she was being introduced to the others as if he had not given her a semi-grand introduction upon their arrival.

Neneko had intended to enter this situation with a calm mindset and present herself as a professional, but now she found herself feeling timid. Embarrassed. The fact that Twice was hyping up her quirk and intelligence were definitely contributing factors.

Standing beside him, she let him do all of the talking. Her throat was still recovering from using her quirk on Rappa. The last time she had intentionally used her quirk had been when she was a teenager and that had been a dark time in her life. She was reflecting on that incident with guilt when she found a pair of arms wrapping around her waist and pulling her against a chest, the man twirling around and lifting her off her feet.

Her face flushed a bright shade of pink and she bowed her head, a hand lifting to hide her smile. _He…is beyond kind. Beyond amazing. He always knows when I feel disheartened._

"You're so cute when you get shy! Come on! Don't make me do all the talking!"

"So what exactly is your quirk? We just keep hearing about how powerful it is," Compress spoke up. He approached as Neneko was set down again, tipping his hat forward a little.

"Ah…to call it _powerful_…I'm afraid that may be a bit of an exaggeration. Though I appreciate Twice's flattery. My quirk is "sad sound". If I raise my voice to a certain point, it reaches a pitch that causes…unfortunate psychological side effects on anyone that hears it. The louder I speak, the stronger the effect. The length of time the person is effected is based on their own willpower, mental fortitude, and personality."

"What kind of psychological effects?"

"Well…" Neneko's confidence once again wavered. Talking about her quirk was low on the list of things she enjoyed. It made her want to shrink in on herself to describe it in detail; especially in front of so many people.

Running her fingers along the length of her braid, she lifted her gaze to stare at the man's mask in an attempt at eye contact. "My voice can drain a person's motivation and cause them deep feelings of despair. Hopelessness. Worthlessness. Weakness. In some cases…if the person who hears it has a weak mind and spirit…they…could potentially cause themselves bodily injury…or take their own life…"

Twice had been nodding along with everything she said up to this point. Upon hearing this part, the eye markings on his mask indicated he was frowning. "Wait! What?! Did that happen before? No way! I don't believe this!"

"Can your quirk kill?" The blunt question came from Shigaraki, seated at the bar. He was turned in his seat to face them and stared at the three from behind stray locks of pale blue hair hanging over his eyes. "Did you make someone die?"

"Sorrow would never kill someone! She's super brutal!" Twice looked from Shigaraki to Neneko, who had her head bowed.

She chewed on her thumbnail as she tried to calm the anxiety raising in her. Lifting her gaze, she nodded. "My quirk…has caused someone to take their own life," she admitted.

There was no reason to hide this. Giran had said for her to be her true, genuine self. Hide nothing. They would accept her as she was. A brief glance toward Twice showed him crossing his arms and narrowing his eyes. _Jin. I would not blame you if you hate me now. I love you…and I knew I could not keep this a secret forever. Not if I'm to be accepted by these people. If you can accept me, even knowing that I have blood on my hands…_

**Shift P.O.V**

The words were shocking to hear come from her own mouth. It was one thing when Giran said it. He could try to just shrug it off as Giran getting his information wrong. That Giran was just repeating some nasty rumor he had heard somewhere from a bitter ex-client Neneko might have had.

His brain took a second to process what she just said. The idea that his soulmate, this soft-spoken translator, had actually caused someone to take their own life was a little difficult to believe. Neneko was soft and warm. Kind and considerate. There was no way she could cause someone's death.

When she turned to glance his way, he felt a tightness in his chest. Whenever Toga talked about stabbing someone or drinking someone's blood, she always had this blissful, excited look to her eyes. The opposite of what he saw in Neneko's sharp violet eyes when the young woman looked at him.

She looked like a dozen knives were being plunged into her heart. There was so much guilt, so much pain in her eyes that he was unable to stop himself from taking action. He pulled her into a tight hug and leaned down, his cheek rubbing against hers through his mask as he did what he could to try to take her pain away.

Whatever had happened, it was something she regretted. The death was not something she was proud of. It was probably an accidental use of her quirk that caused someone to kill themselves. He could tell just by looking at her that she wished she could go back in time and fix it.

Neneko was shaking a little, but her arms slid around his neck in her first show of affection since their arrival. "Thank you…I appreciate your kindness."

When he set her down again, he wrapped a protective arm around her and had her back pressed against his chest, his free arm waving and pointing at the other villains in front of them. "Okay! No more questions, got it? You're bumming her out! Maybe just one more question!"

"So you're really in love, huh?" Toga tilted her head slightly, her eyes on Neneko rather than Twice.

"Of course we're in love! She's adorable! Who wouldn't love her?!"

The young woman hid a smile behind her hand and nodded. "I love him…more than I've ever loved anyone before," she confessed.

His heart beat twice as fast and he felt a warmth rising in him. Hearing her say these sweet words was almost too much for him, even with his mask on. He wanted to hug her and never let go. It took a lot of self-control to not scoop her up and rub his cheek against hers again.

When they left the bar, he found himself constantly looking over at her and smiling beneath his mask. He knew that Giran had intentionally coordinated her costume colors to match his and it made him feel even happier. He and his soulmate were wearing the same colors.

To make things even better, they lived together now. He could be with her all day, every day. Of course, he had remained by her side from the moment he rescued her. Just the thought of letting her out of his sight made him start to panic. If they were separated, she might get hurt again. He was determined to keep her safe from harm now that they were together.

Jin waited until they were close to their building before removing his mask. The second he did, he saw a hint of pink rise to her face and it gave him a spike of pride. Knowing that she loved him, she appreciated him. So much so that his intimidating appearance never bothered her.

He knew how he looked. His face made him appear rough, menacing. The scar certainly did not help matters. Most people often gave him space as if they were unnerved by him or they completely ignored him. Neneko never ignored him, though. When she looked at Jin, it was always with warmth and kindness.

She sat on the edge of the bed in their motel room, her lips drawn into a frown and her arms crossed over her knees as she leaned forward. "I…apologize for not telling you sooner…regarding the extent of my quirk's power…" Her voice was just above a whisper, but it was laced with pain.

Crossing the room quickly, he fell to his knees on the floor in front of her and set his hands on the bed to either side of Neneko. Looking up, he stared into her eyes and frowned back. "Neneko…it's okay."

"…I have…caused death…" she argued, shaking her head. She closed her eyes and wrapped her arms around herself. "I caused death…with my voice. I nearly killed that man…the yakuza member Rappa…I did not raise my voice to full volume, but I weakened him and…my intent…my intent in that moment was to stab him until he bled out…"

Jin could see that this was something she wanted to hide from him. A pain she had been internalizing. He lifted a hand, threading his fingers into the loose, obsidian locks hanging over the left side of her face and pushing it back. "You didn't! Neneko, you…didn't kill him so…" He grimaced, feeling the pressure building inside. He wanted to comfort her, but he was also so proud that she was so strong.

Neneko always did what she could to reassure him when he started to feel like he was splitting. She would hold him and run her fingers through his hair until he calmed down. To see her looking so defeated, so crestfallen, brought him more pain than he thought possible.

What he wanted now, more than anything, was to take away her sadness. To make her smile. He took her face in both hands, staring directly into her eyes and seeing her try to blink away tears. "I…I love you and I hate seeing you this way! What can I do to help you?! Tell me!"

Her pale cheeks took on a pink tint as she felt the warmth of his fingertips caress the side of her face. "I…Jin, I…would love nothing more than to be held," she timidly replied.

Relief washed over him and Jin wasted no time in wrapping his arms around her. As happy as he was to be able to make her feel better, there was now a certain question nagging him. He wanted to know more about how her quirk had caused someone's death, but he was reluctant to ask her.


	23. Chapter 23

_I hate this. What if something happens to her again? She can take care of herself. There's nothing for me to worry about!_ Jin closed his eyes and lifted a hand to rub at his scar. _Giran's with her so she should be okay, right? He wouldn't let anything happen to her. You can't trust that guy alone with her._

The internal conflict was causing him physical pain and he gritted his teeth. Jin tried to shake it off, but horrible thoughts kept pushing their way into his head. Imagining her being hurt or being taken by the guy that had tried to take her before.

It had been five days since the incident. Five days together with Neneko. He never let her out of his sight for long because every time he did, he felt a massive spike of anxiety. Dread filled his thoughts and his pulse raced until she was back with him. He knew she was strong and he was very aware of her intelligence, but he still worried about her.

For the past few nights, she suffered from nightmares. Jin was unaware of what she was dreaming about, but he still did his best to comfort her. He would wake up to the sounds of her crying in her sleep or struggling beside him as if trying to shake off an attacker.

The best he could do was hold her and quietly tell her that she was safe. That he would protect her. After a few minutes of this, she would normally calm down and begin sleeping peacefully again, but it bothered him to see her suffer that way. Whatever haunted her dreams seemed to wear on her even once she was awake.

_Giran said he had a job for her so she's probably okay…No way! This is suspicious! No! Giran…wouldn't put her in danger!_ Jin shook his head and opened his eyes. For his own peace of mind, he pulled his phone from his pocket and called the broker.

"Hey, Bubaigawara. Calling to check on Kuroiwa?" The smile could be heard in Giran's voice when he answered the call.

"H-how did you know? No, it's not like that! I mean…she's…okay, right?" Jin tried to keep his voice down a little, remembering he was in a supermarket getting groceries. He had left the motel room about two hours after Giran came to get Neneko because he needed to try to distract himself. A simple distraction had turned into him deciding to get something to surprise her when she returned.

"She's fine! What? You think I'd have her use her quirk or something?"

"Don't-!" He put a hand over his mouth, realizing he had started to shout. The thought of her having to use her quirk, which caused her so much sadness, was too much for him to handle.

"I won't! I just needed her help with some translations. You know, the time apart is probably good for you two. You've been together nonstop for almost a week now, right? I'd get sick of someone if I had to spend that much time with them."

Jin frowned and shook his head, moving down the aisle in the store. "I…don't think I could get sick of her," he murmured. His free hand rubbed at the back of his neck. He disliked being separated so it was hard for him to imagine being sick of spending time with her.

"I guess I get that. She's pretty easy on the eyes and she's got some interesting stories." Giran paused and then called for someone to enter.

His frown deepened. "Is someone else there?"

"Yeah. I have a few other League members dropping by today. I'll make sure Kuroiwa gets home safe, okay? You just enjoy your day off!"

With the call ending, Jin was left alone again. He ran a hand through his hair as he tried to think of things to cheer himself up. This is what brought him to the aisle that had tea. He managed to locate a box of lavender chamomile tea and put that in the shopping basket, allowing himself a small smile.

Since they spent so much time together, he had started to have those daydreams again. Imagining taking their relationship further. Imagining having kids with Neneko and raising them together. When he thought about that, he tried to not think about what sort of quirks their kids would have.

Before he could even consider bringing that sort of thing up, he was determined to make her see him as a good life partner. He wanted to show her he was responsible and mature. He wanted to be able to protect Neneko and make her see him as potential marriage material.

Getting her favorite tea was a good start. Jin knew some of her favorite foods so he made sure to pick those up, too. What he knew she would really love was some mochi. He spent almost ten minutes trying to determine what flavor to get for her and finally settled on green tea.

When Jin left the store, he was in a pretty good mood. He was confident that she would be pleasantly surprised with what he got for her. Imagining her sweet, sheepish smile made him half-smile to himself.

The walk back to the motel room gave him a lot of time to think and he started to feel a little better about separated. Less anxious anyway. He remembered what she did to that strong-looking yakuza member so he knew she could take care of herself. Besides, she was working on translations and she really enjoyed doing that sort of work.

_She's not in danger. She'll be fine_, he told himself as he reached their floor. He found his room key in his pocket and lifted his gaze. His heart dropped into his stomach upon seeing a man in a black suit kneeling on the floor in front of their door, trying to pick the lock.

Jin rushed forward before he could stop to consider his next move. He grabbed the man by the back of the neck and lifted him before slamming him into the wall, dropping half of his grocery bags in the process. "Who sent you? You think this is funny?! This is hilarious! Why are you here?!"

**Shift P.O.V**

"He's pretty worried about you." Giran tucked his phone away and lit a cigarette as another villain let themselves into the little office. "You know he's head over heels for you, right, Sorrow?"

Neneko lifted her gaze from the notepad and frowned. She absently chewed at her thumbnail as she regarded the broker. He was giving her a smirk that made her stomach turn. "Are you aware…that your interest in his affairs borders on being…what some might describe as "obsessive"?"

"Sorrow-san, it's a pleasure to see you again." The voice of the newcomer was slightly muffled and drew attention to the door. Leaning against it, facing the two professionals, was the second masked member of the League of Villains.

"Compress-san. Hello. Yes, it is a pleasure to see you again as well." She bowed slightly in greeting, but it was difficult to manage while still seated on the couch. _This man displays more respect and good etiquette in one sentence than Giran has showed me for the duration of my knowing him._

The two men talked for a while as she continued translating the document Giran had given her. She was getting through it rather quickly; it was German and that was the second foreign language she had learned. Neneko heard snippets of their conversation, but it was nothing of great interest. Compress seemed to be there to ask about getting some masks that were more durable.

_What would possess a man to need a more durable mask? For that matter, why wear a mask like his? It seems ill-suited for a fight. Something like that would break so easily…or at the very least it would crack._

Footsteps approached the side of the couch and a hand planted on the arm closest to Neneko. His free hand lifted to remove his mask. "Sorrow-san, can I ask what you're working on?"

She looked up from her pages and found that his face was only partially obscured now. Beneath his costume's black and white mask, he was wearing a black mask that left his mouth and eyes uncovered. _Brown eyes? As for the rest of his face…he seems rather ordinary._

Neneko shuffled her pages, glad that she had just finished the translations. "Giran-san requested my assistance in translating some documents from German to Japanese. It would seem that a villain in Europe is attempting to contact Shigaraki-san's master." She allowed a gloved hand to take the pages from her and flip through them. _He seems well-mannered enough to be trusted with those_, she decided.

The woman stood and resisted the urge to stretch. She had been working diligently for a while now; not moving from where she sat and remaining a bit hunched so she could see better in the dim light of the office. Now that she had finished, she was eager to get back to Jin.

"Your handwriting is exceptional, my dear."

_Could he be mocking the way that I speak?_ Accepting the pages from him, she saw the genuine smile he wore and frowned. "Thank you."

"I'll take those." Giran approached the couch and took the documents from Neneko, smirking as he looked them over. "Thanks, Sorrow. We'll talk about payment tomorrow over the phone. I've got to get these to the big boss." Turning his smirk toward the male villain, he nodded toward the door. "Compress, you mind walking her back to her place?"

He tipped his hat forward a little, frowning now. "I'm a busy man."

"And she's a valuable asset. Look, just walk her back to her building at least. Twice will throw a fit if I let her walk home alone."

"I am capable of walking alone," Neneko protested. _If need be, I can call Jin and ask for him to meet me part of the way._ She picked up her bag and started for the door, pausing only to give her cat a few loving pets. The cat was staying with Giran until she and Jin could find more suitable accommodations.

"Just a moment!" The villain swiftly crossed the room, putting on his top mask as he did. He opened the door for her with a dramatic flourish and half-bowed. "Let me escort you. It wouldn't be right to make a lady walk alone."

_You changed your mind a bit too quickly. I suspect that Giran may be offering you some sort of compensation for this. _She looked toward Giran, expecting to see him smirking again, but he was now tucking the documents into a folder as he made a call to someone.

"…I suppose…" Neneko pulled up the hood on her costume before they made their way out into an alley. She adjusted the bag on her shoulder and held the strap with both hands as she walked. Her one on one interaction with the other villains was limited. As Mystic, she had been close with Dabi and friendly with Compress, but as herself she was far less confident.

_We will draw attention as soon as we leave the alley_, she realized. _What does he intend to do? If I walked alone, I could blend in much easier. His costume is…rather flamboyant. It will immediately draw the eye of anyone we pass._

"I'd rather stick to the shadows, if you don't mind."

She was surprised when he spoke, but nodded. "Yes. I agree with this. The less people that see us, the better."

As they walked, the man made polite small talk for a while. Talking about the weather, favorite restaurants, and some gossip he had heard about the other villains. To make things horrifying, one hint of gossip was that Dabi had been turned down by Mystic and killed her. Compress was sure this had really happened since no one had seen her in a while and, in his opinion, Dabi had been acting secretive.

_I suppose one could say that Mystic is dead. Though not quite the way they think._ Neneko was relaxing a little and released the strap of her bag so she could chew at her thumbnail for a moment. _How should the topic of Mystic be settled?_

"How did you get into translations, my dear?"

_He speaks as if he may be much older than me. Exactly what sort of man is he? _She frowned and glanced his way. "As a child…my father was quite strict and firmly believed that one must live a traditional Japanese life in order to achieve true success and happiness. From a young age, I was told that foreigners were extremely dangerous and anything foreign was considered toxic."

Neneko stopped chewing on her nail and began absently running her fingers along her braided obsidian hair. "As an act of rebellion, as a teenager, I began to secretly indulge in foreign films and...endeavored to learn as many languages as I could. That may seem humorous, however…it was important to me."

Despite having acted like he did not care to walk with her, Compress stayed with Neneko until they reached her floor in the motel. When they saw the blood on the floor near the door to her room, he stepped in front of Neneko and put out an arm to keep her from getting around him. "Sorrow-san, is that your door?"

She stared at the door, at the blood smeared around the doorknob and on the wall to the side of it. Her heart dropped into her stomach, her blood running cold at the thought of it being Jin's blood. The young woman forced her way past Compress and sprinted down the hallway.

Neneko could hear Compress right behind her, felt fingertips brush the back of her shoulder as he attempted to grab her to stop her. Before she could consider her actions, she forced the door open and she felt her knees buckle. Falling to her knees on the floor, she was unsure if she should laugh or cry.

Jin was sitting on the bed, tending to some wounds, but it became apparent rather quickly that the pool of blood in the hall was from someone else. When he heard her fall to her knees, he looked up and his gray-blue eyes widened. "Neneko?! What happened? Are you alright? Great! Who's butt do I have to kick now?!"


	24. Chapter 24

He was in the middle of a good dream when he was snapped to consciousness. Jin jolted awake at the feeling of something shaking beside him. His immediate thought was that he might be in danger so he pushed himself up on one elbow to look around. The room was dark, but he was still able to settle his eyes on the sleeping woman beside him.

Neneko was curled up on her side next to Jin, facing away from him. She was trembling and a soft whimper came from her. The sound made it feel like his heart was being tightly gripped. The man leaned over, trying to see if she was really asleep or if she was awake and in pain.

Locks of obsidian hair were falling across her pale face, her soft pink lips pursed and tears rolling from the corners of her eyes. Neneko's hands were curled into fists, tucked against her chest. The sight added to the pain spreading through Jin's heart.

He gently reached over and brushed her hair away from her face. "…Neneko…" Sadness clashed with anger as he focused on the scar on her cheek and the one above her eyebrow. He gritted his teeth as he started to feel like he might split.

_No! I need to help Neneko! I don't have time for this! What can I even do? She's just having a bad dream!_ Shaking his head, Jin fought against the splitting feeling until he could no longer stand it.

Settling onto his side, he slid his arms around Neneko and pulled her back against his chest. He frowned and buried his face in her dark hair, taking in the calming aroma of the lavender shampoo she used. His once racing heart was slowly coming down back to a normal pace. His muscles relaxed gradually and he tried to focus his attention on holding her.

Neneko was warm and soft. Her body fit against his almost perfectly and it only further convinced him that they were truly soulmates. Even asleep, even without speaking, she was able to bring him such a reassuring sense of calm. It never ceased to amaze him just how perfect Neneko was for him, how great she made him feel. Like a hero. Like he was important. Like he was completely accepted.

He closed his eyes, trying to fall asleep again. She had stopped trembling when he moved closer so he hoped that her nightmare had faded and she was having better dreams now. A few minutes of silence passed before he felt her body shaking as she sobbed in her sleep.

His hold on her tightened and he felt heat rushing to his face as he realized how close they were. "N-Neneko? Neneko…it's okay. I'm here. You're okay."

Her crying grew worse and she lowered her head more, her hands grasping the blankets tightly. "…don't…don't do it…please…no…"

Jin heard her mumbling and it made his blood run cold. _What…?_ He jolted as she thrashed, nearly smacking the back of her head against his face. The man kept a secure hold on her to keep her from thrashing her way onto the floor. _What's she dreaming about? She's crying. What can I do? I hate seeing her this way! Just gotta let her cry it out! She'll stop eventually!_

"I-I don't…wanna…die…"

Hearing her talk this way, so differently from her usual formal speech pattern, puzzled him for a moment. He had very little time to react to what happened next. Jin had an abrupt gut feeling that he had to cover to his head. He did it, but reluctantly released her so he would be able to. Grabbing the pillow, he pressed his head against the mattress to cover one ear and used the pillow to cover the other.

It muffled sound well enough, but he still knew she was screaming. Tears pricked at the corners of his eyes and he had to close them to keep himself from looking at her. She was screaming in cold terror and he wanted nothing more than to just hold her and try to comfort her. He felt heartbroken and helpless.

When her screaming subsided, Jin waited a while before removing the pillow. She was silent now. It was eerie. He moved closer again and saw that her body had gone lax, but she was still breathing. The man fell onto his back and reached over to put an arm around her, dragging her close. Her upper half rested on his chest, her head over his heart. Right now, this was all he could do for her.

**Shift P.O.V**

Neneko woke with tears dried on her face and a sore throat. She knew she had screamed in her sleep. Of course, it only made sense, given the nightmare she had suffered. A dream of a bare hand reaching toward her and causing her body to blow apart into the air like macabre rose petals. Only to be brought back together and then forced apart again.

Looking to her side, she found Jin's side of the bed empty. _Did I…did my quirk…? _Her pulse quickened and she bolted out of bed to try to find him.

After hearing that someone had tried to break into their motel room, Neneko had sought better accommodations. They were now staying in a large suite in a somewhat pricey hotel, but she had plenty of savings. This suite had a bedroom, a main room that held typical sitting room things, a large bathroom, and a small kitchen sort of area.

She swiftly opened the bedroom door when she failed to find him in the bedroom and felt her heart leap into her throat when she smelled food. _He was…cooking?_ Neneko walked quietly, but quickly and crossed the main area to the kitchen area. "Jin? Are you…alright?"

He looked at her over his shoulder, pausing in his cooking. "Yeah. I'm fine."

"My quirk…while I slept, I had…rather terrifying dreams and I feared that…perhaps I might have used my quirk…while I was asleep…that you may be affected by my voice…" She absently chewed at a loose thread in the hem of her sleeve and she lifted her eyes to meet his. "Jin. You are being truthful?"

The man nodded and resumed his task of making breakfast. "I…put a pillow over my head. I'm fine," he murmured. "Um…Giran called while you were asleep. We've got a meeting so…we've gotta eat and get going."

Neneko accepted a plate of food from him and smiled shyly. "Thank you. I appreciate this…and it looks delicious." She saw a warm hue rise to his face and leaned up, pressing a small kiss to his cheek.

When they set off for the mahjong bar, Neneko found a way to make it up to him a little. Being outside, without his mask on, Jin found conflicting emotions with everything that came their way. He held her hand in a white-knuckled grip and let her guide him to the bar, keeping his head down to try to alleviate some of the overwhelming feelings clashing within him.

It was fine for Neneko to wear her villain costume in public; it looked enough like a simple, stylish dress that no one looked twice. He had to carry his costume in a bag since it would definitely draw attention to them. _We must hurry. At the very least, the hotel I selected is closer to the mahjong bar. Though I dislike being so accessible to those villains._

Jin managed to hold it together long enough for them to enter the bar and quickly excused himself to change. Neneko was now left in the bar with the other members of the League of Villains. Though there were only a few there at this time. Toga, Compress, and Magne. Of course, Kurogiri was behind the counter and Shigaraki was seated across from him.

Attempting to maintain a calm façade, despite her racing heart and mounting anxiety, Neneko stayed near the door. Mystic had been confident and outgoing, but as herself she was timid and unsure. She disliked dealing with group situations, which is why she normally did business one on one. As she looked toward the door Jin had gone through, she found Toga approaching her with a strange smile.

"Hey, Sorrow. You know other languages, right? Compress said you can read and write in German."

"Ah…yes, that is correct. I know multiple languages. Do you have something that you need translated?" Neneko felt a little better with the possibility of being able to work on something calming and familiar. Not to mention that there were so few women in the League of Villains. Strategically speaking, it would be better to have the other two on her side.

"I wanna know how to say "I love you" in a bunch of different languages!"

Neneko's violet eyes widened a bit. "You…are asking for a language lesson, then? I suppose I could teach you a few phrases. It may be difficult, I must warn you. The pronunciation can be somewhat challenging with some of them."

Nodding to herself, she lifted a hand and nervously chewed at the hem of her sleeve. "Toga-chan…such a sweet phrase to choose to learn. It is actually quite admirable. Much better than what others would likely choose."

Toga stared up at her for a moment, being just a bit shorter than Neneko, and she began to grin. A warm blush was rising to her face and she pressed her hands over her cheeks. "Sorrow, that's too cute! You look so nervous! Like you think someone's going to gobble you up! And you're so little you look like you're around my age! Where do you get off being that cute?!"

_Cute…?_ She tilted her head and was about to ask for her to elaborate. Neneko could never see herself as "cute". To her, cuteness in a female would be a round face and large eyes. Things that she did not possess. Her own eyes were rather ordinary in size and her face was slightly narrower; not the cute shapes that Toga's face had. "I suppose…everyone has different tastes."

"Twice is your type, right? You like men with lots of muscle and scars?"

Neneko's cheeks took on a red tint and she lowered her head. "One's outward appearance…only accounts for so much. I do admire his appearance, but…what I most admire about him is his personality. He is kind and brave. Generous. I cannot express in words how much I adore him."

She had lived in seclusion for most of her life. What friends she made in high school quickly abandoned her. Most of her interaction was with her clients and her assistant Kita. It felt strange to talk to someone about her feelings, but it was not entirely unpleasant. Toga seemed genuinely interested in what she was saying.

Though she disliked that Giran had been correct. Neneko was acting like herself instead of Mystic and it seemed like the others were more accepting of her. _I doubt that they would be so accepting if I were to raise my voice. Just the idea of using my quirk fills me with dread. I must avoid that at all costs. If they truly accept me as I am, I…would hate to harm them. Especially if they accept Jin._

"Hey, did Twice tell you about Mystic?" Toga finally asked.

Her pulse began to accelerate and Neneko anxiously chewed on her thumbnail. "Mystic…you say? I don't believe I have met them. No one has spoken about them, to my knowledge."

"You're talking about Mystic?" Magne walked over to join the conversation now. "Ooooh! You don't know, do you?"

"Mystic was part of the League, too, but she disappeared! She didn't have a quirk, but she was supposed to be good with knives. But I never got to see her use them. Anyway, she hung out with Dabi and Compress most of the time-"

"Dabi kept making moves on her. She kinda played along, but everyone could see she wasn't really into him," Magne chimed in. "She just disappeared. No one's heard from her and she stopped coming to meetings. The rumor is that Dabi killed her because she kept rejecting him."

_They…believe that Dabi killed me? Truly and without question. To believe such a rumor without a shred of evidence…the human mind is astounding. _Neneko frowned slightly and lowered her head. "Killing another member of the League…for Dabi to kill Mystic…over something so insignificant…"

"What?! Mystic's dead? No way! You've gotta be kidding!"

Neneko tensed at the sound of Jin's voice behind her. She looked over her shoulder and found him in full costume, holding his head with both hands. _Jin…? No. Twice. Yes. His villain self is…different from his normal self._

"No way! No! Mystic can't be dead!" His voice was raising and there was genuine panic in his tone. "Mystic! How can she be dead?! This can't be happening! It's totally believable!"

She felt a tightening in her chest, a stinging in her eyes as the man approached. There was so much pain, so much despair in his voice. _Does he…not remember that I am Mystic? That I was Mystic. _She turned toward him as he shook his head and his shoulders began to shake. _Is he…is Twice…is Jin…crying?_

"What're you so upset about, Twice? It's not like you two were close," Magne pointed out.

"I loved her! She was just okay!"

_I…cannot understand this. Does he believe I was killed? Does he not realize…does he not remember…? His brain…has separated me from Mystic somehow. He believes we are different people, but that he loved Mystic?_ Her eyes widened as his arms wrapped tightly around her. "Twice?"

"I can't handle it! Sorrow, cheer me up! I'm fine! I don't need help!" He held her against his chest, lifting her off the floor a few inches as he leaned down to rub his mask-covered cheek against hers.

"Twice…everything is alright." She lifted a hand to caress his other cheek through his mask, a warm hue rising to her face. _All I can do is attempt to keep him calm and reassure him. I need to help him through mourning Mystic…even though I am alive. I just cannot allow the others to know that I was Mystic._


	25. Chapter 25

_Jin…_A tightness was forming at the center of her chest. She had hoped that he would remember who she was. That he would stop mourning the "death" of Mystic. It had been hours since he overheard her discussion with Toga and Magne, but he was clearly still bothered by it.

Neneko had changed out of her villain costume and released her hair from its braid. It was wavy from being braided for most of the day and she was just waiting for it to settle back to its normal sleekness. While she was changing, she had hoped that he would think about things and realize she was still alive.

Instead, Jin was sitting on the edge of the bed with his mask off. Head in his hands, teeth gritted, gray-blue eyes shining wetly with fresh tears that had yet to fall. He was spiraling deeper into a depression. He truly believed that Mystic was dead and, on some obscure level, he seemed to believe she was dead as well.

She hated to see him in so much pain. It made her stomach twist in knots and tears formed at the corners of her eyes. "Jin…please…"

"She can't be dead! Mystic…can't be dead! I _love_ her! I can't lose her! Why would someone _do_ this?! She's…better off dead!"

The woman winced at the sheer agony in his voice and moved without giving it a second thought. She knelt on the bed behind him and wrapped her arms around Jin from behind. Her chin rested on his shoulder as she held his back against her chest. "I…am here, Jin. I am here for you…I am still alive. So, please, cease mourning."

"But Mystic-!"

"Jin…_I_ am Mystic. Please remember. You were there…when Giran mentioned this. Please do not mourn. Seeing you this way…breaks my heart."

The man had been shaking, but it slowly ceased. In a few quick movements, he had gripped her arm gently and pulled her around him. She was straddling his lap now, facing him, and he wrapped both arms tightly around her waist. Jin buried his face in her chest, tears wetting the front of her shirt.

Her cheeks were warming with a blush and she tentatively settled a hand on his shoulder. Her other hand lifted and fingers trailed through his messy blond hair, trying to soothe him. "It is alright. I am here for you and…I will always be here for you. I love you, Jin. More than I have ever loved anyone before."

_This…is all I can do to help you. I no longer have my Mystic costume; I left it behind when I was forced to abandon my home. If I had it and put it on, would I be able to convince him that I was Mystic? That I am still alive?_

She felt a hand pressing at her upper back, bringing her tighter against him. Neneko's stomach felt fluttery and she had an almost floating sort of sensation at the closeness. Leaning down, she tried to say more to reassure him. Things to calm him down, put him at ease.

She pushed aside her own flustered feelings, trying not to think about how she was sitting on his lap. Trying to not focus on the warmth she felt against her inner thighs or the way her skirt had ridden up her legs. "I am _Mystic_…and I am _Sorrow_…and I am _Neneko_. I love you so much that…it brings me pain to see you this way. Please…"

He turned his head to the side, cheek pressed against her chest. For a moment, he simply sat quietly and held Neneko. It took him a while, but soon he appeared to have stabilized his emotions. "I'm sorry. I…didn't mean to hurt you," he muttered, squeezing her in a slight hug within the embrace.

Jin lifted his head to look up at her, tears in the corners of his eyes. A hand raised and his fingertips caressed her pale, scarred cheek. His touch was gentle; as if she was made of porcelain and he was afraid of breaking her. He frowned, his scar appearing deeper as his eyebrows furrowed. "…I made you cry…"

She closed her eyes, letting him delicately wipe away her tears, and felt her pulse seem to flutter. Neneko felt his hand carefully trace along her cheekbone and thread his fingers into her dark, wavy hair. Opening her eyes again, she felt the warmth growing in her face. _His expression…was so serious, so pained, but now…this expression on his face...makes it feel as though my heart is melting._

Neneko leaned down slowly and he leaned up to meet the woman's soft pink lips with his own. When he abruptly fell onto his back on the bed, bringing her with him, she was glad that the kiss muffled her yelp of surprise. She felt her stomach doing flips as she found herself on top of him, her legs still straddling his waist.

Her hair fell around him, brushing against his cheek and pooling around his head on the blanket beneath him. He seemed to either not notice or not mind. He slid his fingers through her hair to the back of her head, pulling her face closer against his and deepening the kiss.

When the contact between their lips broke, Neneko braced her hands on the bed to the either side of him and leaned back. Her violet gaze met his gray-blue eyes and she no longer saw sadness. Instead there was warmth and adoration. So intense that she had to look away for a moment. "Jin…do you…feel better now?"

He reached up, his lips curling into a sheepish half-smile. "Yeah…I feel a little better," he agreed. His warm fingers brushed over the curve of her ear as he tucked her hair behind it, giving him a better view of her face.

She wanted to find some way to keep him from thinking about Mystic again. Neneko knew that if he thought of her old persona, he would spiral into depression once more. If she could get an adequate distraction, she was sure he would be able to redirect his attention and the distraction may even overshadow his sadness enough to make him forget long-term.

"This…may come across as rather forward. Would you…perhaps…like to go with me somewhere? A proper date. I would…very much enjoy spending the evening with you on a date…if you would like." Neneko was pulled down so her head rested on his chest and her eyes widened. "Jin…?" She heard his heart racing beneath her ear and then caught the sound of a small, excited burst of laughter.

"Of course I want that! I don't wanna date you; I've got standards!"

_He is having conflicting thoughts again._ She wrapped her arms around his neck, trying to help calm him down. "If you are worried about being seen…I can assure you that we will be safe. We will take alleys to reach our destinations and I will dress quite differently from my usual style. I will wear one of those…strange outfits that Giran-san supplied…and we can safely go on a date."

"A-alright…if you're sure." He loosened his hold to let her sit up, a faint warm hue settling across his face when he realized she was still straddling him.

Neneko's typical outfit consisted of a long skirt and a shirt with long sleeves or a sweater. What Giran decided to supply her with was nothing like this. He had opted to provide her with jeans, skirts that ended above the knee, and shirts with short sleeves. It made her horribly uncomfortable, but she reminded herself it was a necessary discomfort.

There was still a decent amount of sunlight when she and Jin left the hotel. Neneko led the way; holding his hand and keeping her head bowed. She did not feel like they were being looked at, even when they were on the main street for brief periods of time.

**Shift P.O.V**

_Neneko is Mystic._ He stared straight ahead, frowning slightly. _She's Mystic. I know she's Mystic! So I shouldn't be upset. But she doesn't act like Mystic. I probably got it wrong! There's no way she's Mystic!_

Jin lifted a hand, fingers running through his hair as he tried to fight the conflicting thoughts. He felt Neneko's fingers tighten on his other hand and his gaze drifted from the path ahead. Looking down at her, he felt like his heart was doing flips in his chest.

She had her head bowed, her free hand lifted as she chewed at her thumbnail. It was clear that she was uncomfortable in this outfit. A short dark purple skirt that ended a few inches above her knees and a lavender shirt with sleeves that barely covered her shoulders. He knew how uncomfortable she must be, but he could not ignore the fact that he felt kind of warm and tingly.

It reminded him of earlier, when they were on her bed. A part of him had wanted to take things further, but he stopped himself. He was afraid of possibly hurting her. Just the thought of making her cry again made his chest feel tight. He shook his head and attempted to push away those thoughts.

After all, he was on a date. This was something positive and sweet. Of course, he hated that she had to ask him. He knew he should have been the one to ask her.

Jin had no idea where she wanted to go or what she wanted to do, but he was willing to go along with whatever she had planned. _I need to…just focus on her. Stop thinking about Mystic when Neneko's right here! Awww! She's such a cutie! I could just pick her up and-! _He shook his head again, trying to stop that thought from finishing itself.

They were moving down the sidewalk, staying close to the buildings in case they had to duck into another alley. He gritted his teeth and moved ahead of her to take the lead, despite not knowing where they were going. He wanted to make her feel safe. He wanted to protect her from any potential harm.

Neneko was more than happy to allow this. She stayed close to him, keeping her head down a little and letting her wavy black hair fall to hide her face. Everything seemed fine until she suddenly squeezed his hand again, trembling. "That girl…over there. Do you suppose…it is possible…that she may be associated with the yakuza?"

He was used to Neneko's soft, whispery voice, but this was laced with sheer panic. Looking down at her, he saw her staring off ahead of them and followed her line of sight. Further down the street was a pair of teenagers walking hand in hand. It looked like the boy was leading the girl.

The girl that Neneko was worried about had long dark violet hair and she had her head bowed. Red eyes were nervously looking to the boy with ash blond hair and then back down to the sidewalk. A simple black medical mask was hiding the lower half of her face from view.

Jin tilted his head slightly, eyes narrowing. "That's…n-no, she's…a good kid," he finally answered. "I've seen her before. She's good."

"You have seen that girl before?"

"Yeah." He pulled Neneko into an alley and rubbed the back of his head. Even if that girl was not a member of the yakuza, he still wanted to avoid those two kids. The boy gave him a bad feeling in his gut. "I saw her a while back. A few days before I met you. She…almost stepped in front of a truck, but I pulled her back onto the sidewalk. She gave me cake to thank me."

To his surprise, Neneko's lips curled into a smile. "Jin…sometimes I truly wonder…if you realize how great and kind you really are."

Staring down at her for a moment, he felt himself wanting to smile back. He wanted to hug her and show her how loved she made him feel. How appreciated, how amazing she made him feel just by being around him. Though he was still apprehensive. He was anxious and worried that his enthusiasm might scare her.

**Shift P.O.V**

_He truly is wonderful_, she thought as they had dinner together. Sitting across from him in a dimly-lit bar, Neneko was unable to feel anything but joy. Even the ever-looming threat of being found by the Shie Hassaikai could not diminish the happiness she felt in Jin's presence.

Her plans for this date were simple. A classic dinner and a movie date. It had been quite a while since she was last on a real date. Her admirer Maru had brought her flowers and candy, but they never went on an outing like this. Even the dates she had gone on had felt disappointing in comparison.

Seeing Jin smile, even though he was a bit tense. Hearing him talk, listening to a few stories. These things brought her immense pleasure. She could listen to him talk for hours and she was sure she would never grow tired of him.

The movie she selected was a romantic comedy and he seemed to like her choice. In the dark of the movie theater, Neneko felt her heart skip a beat when his arm slid around her. She rested her head on his shoulder, trying to ignore the fluttering of her pulse, but an overwhelming happiness was setting in.

When they left, the sun had gone down. The streetlights were on and the type of civilians that were on the streets now were different. Fewer children and more adults just out to enjoy their evening. Neneko let Jin lead the way back, feeling relieved that he seemed to have stopped thinking about Mystic.

The two were halfway down an alley, just a few streets away from the movie theater, when the happiness was drained from their date. A voice came from behind them, echoing down the alley. "Hey. You look pretty familiar. Aren't you that girl Overhaul's looking for?"

Neneko felt her blood run cold and held tightly to Jin's hand. She turned to put herself between him and the stranger, her violet eyes narrowing. The stranger was wearing a black suit and had his hands behind his back, a sickly sweet smile spreading across his face. "You have no business with me. I believe you are thinking of someone else." She kept her voice lowered, wanting to avoid using her quirk.

"Huh? Nope. You're definitely her. I don't forget a pretty face; I stared at that picture for hours just to memorize it. Don't you feel special? You should. Overhaul's got a reward for whoever can bring you in alive."


	26. Chapter 26

Neneko felt like her heart would explode from her rapid pulse. Staring at this stranger, gripping Jin's hand tightly in hers, she knew she had to do something. _Overhaul. I believe…that is what Chisaki-san's quirk is. So this man can only mean that Chisaki-san has a price on my head._

Her options were quite limited. She could attempt to fight, but Neneko had very little experience with hand to hand combat. She was better with knives. However, this was not an option as she had been forced to abandon her weapon when she fled her apartment.

"You must forgive me…I have no acquaintances called "Overhaul"," she bluffed. Inching closer to Jin, she cast a glance in his direction. The man's head was bowed slightly, his gray-blue eyes locked on this stranger intensely. _Jin? Is he…alright? Such a vicious stare…I can only wonder what he might be considering._

The man in the suit gave a little shrug, but continued to smile. "Look. You can play dumb all you want. That's not going to change anything. You haven't heard of Overhaul? How about Chisaki Kai? How about "that guy that was paying you way too much for a few stupid translations"? Does _that_ ring any bells?"

She felt Jin's grip tighten a little on her hand. Her eyes narrowed on the man standing in front of them. "I see."

"Get it now? You're not getting away. Maybe if you come along nice and quiet, he'll go easy on you. Hell. Maybe if you're a good girl-"

"How much is he offering as a reward? If you know that he paid me well for my work, then you must realize that I can offer payment for silence. How much is he offering as a reward?"

The man's smile grew sheepish and he finally drew a hand from behind his back. His fingers grew longer, more tapered, until they resembled claws with sharpened tips. He ran his fingers through his hair as he took a step toward the couple. "That's sweet, but Overhaul's not offering money. You can't give me what he's offering."

_Exactly what sort of prize has he offered in exchange for me?_ Neneko tried to think over everything from her past translations for the Shie Hassaikai and finally realized what it was. He could only be offering a quirk enhancement drug. A large supply of the drug in exchange for her capture.

"So, like I said, if you come along without a fight then he might not kill you. I heard a rumor that you've got a voice quirk. Right? Some kind of crazy strength-draining quirk or something. That's what you used on Rappa, right?"

Neneko subconsciously lifted a hand to her throat and took a step back from the man. _I…must think of something to do. What can I do? I need to get out of this situation. My quirk…would work well against him, but I could not bear it if my quirk caused Jin to…_She felt him release her hand seconds before arms wrapped around her and pulled her back against his warm chest.

"No one's…taking her away from me." Jin's voice was quiet, but full of anger and pain. His head lifted so he could meet the man's amused stare and his mouth twisted into a scowl.

Never before had Neneko felt her heart skip a beat quite so powerfully. Those same feelings from the night they first met were now rising to the surface again. Seeing him act so valiant, so caring. She had never been with someone so protective and sweet. He truly made her feel like something precious.

She was forcing herself to be brave before. To push down her feelings of fear and show a fearless expression in front of the yakuza member. Now the fear was bubbling up. Her body was frozen in place, held against his chest. Goose bumps were rising on her skin and she blinked away tears.

"Look." The man pointed a claw at Neneko, still smiling at the two. "My boss wants that lady. I don't know what you're doing with her, but you'll just be putting yourself in danger if you hang around with her. You're making it worse for yourself and for her if you don't just move it along and let me take her to him. So? What do you say?"

Jin's arms tightened around Neneko and he gritted his teeth. "I'm not…letting you take her! I don't care what you say! Nah! Go ahead and take her, if it'll keep her safe! No! I can…I can protect her myself! I won't let you hurt her!"

_He…feels like he might split apart. _Neneko's heart was hammering in her chest as she rummaged in her bag and finally felt the familiar fabric of his mask. His arms refused to budge from holding her against him so she had to sort of squirm in his hold to do what must be done. The young woman's arms lifted and she had to more or less blindly pull the mask over his head.

The second it was pulled all the way down, he gave her a small squeeze of a hug before pushing her behind him. "Alright! If you want to take Neneko, you'll have to go through me first! Be gentle, okay?!"

"Wait a moment-!" Neneko's words went ignored as he rushed at the man with his hands curled into fists. The translator stood there in silent anticipation and worry, a hand over her mouth to keep herself from crying out.

Jin was a pretty capable fighter, considering he was fighting without using his quirk. The other man had claws and managed to get a few swipes in that actually connected, but the scratches he left were superficial. Fairly quickly, Jin had the man by the back of the neck and drove his knee up into the man's sternum repeatedly.

"That…should be enough," she spoke, briskly walking over to Jin.

He dropped the man and the eye parts of his mask seemed to indicate he was smiling. "I did a good job, right? Do I get a reward? I'm not done! I wanna beat his face into a pulp!"

"You did an excellent job." Neneko smiled and lifted a hand, her fingertips caressing his cheek through the mask. Warmth was rising to her face as she looked up at him and she fought the temptation to kiss him now. Turning her attention back to the man on the ground, she saw his face bleeding and a bit of blood trickling from the corner of his mouth.

"You think I'm not gonna talk?! The second I tell Overhaul where I saw you, that's it for you! We'll have this whole neighborhood staked out and he's gonna get you! I hope he blows you apart! We don't need a low-life translator like you-!"

"What's this? Looks like fun."

Neneko's pulse quickened as she shifted her eyes to the left, looking further down the alley. There was a figure standing about twenty feet away, casually tilting his head as he regarded the situation. She tried to maintain a calm appearance. "This…business does not concern you."

"Why not? Aren't we all on the same team? Besides, it looks like you're in trouble." He started to advance on the three, walking at a leisurely pace while stretching his arms over his head. A wicked sort of half-grin took form as he neared the group. "Your girlfriend looks kind of familiar, Twice."

Jin's arms wrapped around Neneko, pulling her against him as he had before. "Back off, Dabi! I'm not into sharing! Maybe if you asked nicely-!"

"Yeah, sure. So what's the deal? This guy was saying something."

Before Neneko could say anything, Jin lifted a hand and pulled up his mask to expose his face. His brow was furrowed, eyes narrowed, as he looked down at the man on the ground. "It…it doesn't matter. I'm taking her home."

She glanced from the man on the ground up to Dabi, who was now staring at her with narrowed eyes as if trying to determine why she seemed so familiar. Neneko bowed her head, letting her wavy black hair fall around her face. The longer she stayed there, out of costume, the more likely he was to realize she had been Mystic.

_Villains. Criminals. The kind of people that I now associate with._ _The…kind of person I must pretend to be…in order to keep Jin safe. I despise this. I despise this with every fiber of my being, but if we stay then this man will call for back up. The Shie Hassaikai has a decent number of members, from my knowledge. The three of us…against that many people…_

Neneko knew what had to happen. A tightness began to form in the center of her chest, a burning sensation starting in her throat. With any luck, this would not be like last time. With any luck, this man would simply feel a shallow sadness and return to his home feeling inadequate.

She drew from Jin's hold and cast a warning look over her shoulder, a hand lifting to her throat. Thankfully, he understood immediately and covered his ears. Dabi saw this and tilted his head, but did the same when he saw Jin nod at him.

Unlike with Rappa, she did not raise her voice quite as much this time. Neneko's voice rose to a normal speaking volume as she leaned down toward the man. She chose her words very carefully. Mentioning her attachment to Jin too much would draw attention to him and she wanted to avoid alluding to her involvement with the League of Villains.

"You are a horrible person to believe that trading a human being for a simple prize is a good decision. You have no morals and I am certain that whatever sort of reward he offered would never be granted to you, even if you were to bring me to him.

"I am aware of my value to him, but you…are simply a subordinate. You would be no great loss to him. You would deliver me to your boss and soon after your body would surely be destroyed as he would have no further use for you. Are you aware of how it feels to die by his hand? I can assure you that it is the most unpleasant sensation that one could possibly attempt to describe."

**Shift P.O.V**

When she looked at him again, Jin lowered his hands and stared down at the man. This guy that had previously fought him and had been so determined to drag Neneko back to his boss was now a sniveling, trembling ball curled up against the wall behind him. His head was in his hands, shoulders shaking as he sobbed.

Jin's soulmate was straightening now and began to cough. She winced in pain and put a hand to her throat. "I believe…I may have spoken too much," she whispered, her voice sounding a bit rough.

"Water! I'll…get you some water. Uh, wait. We should go home. We have water there so…" His gaze shifted from Neneko to Dabi. The other villain was staring down at the man on the ground, his half-burned mouth drawing back at the corners into a malevolent sort of smile.

He knew exactly what Dabi was going to do and he wanted to get Neneko away from the area before it happened. _She's too good to get caught up in something like this. I still wish she would've stayed away from the League. No way! She fits right in, with a quirk like that! This guy's crying like a baby just from her voice! What did she say to him?_

Shaking off his curiosity, Jin lifted her in his arms and turned away from Dabi and the stranger without a word. He just hoped he could get Neneko away before their fellow villain lit the man ablaze. Not to mention that the way Dabi looked at Neneko made him feel uneasy.

It was not exactly jealousy. He realized this as he opened the hotel door for Neneko and locked it behind them both. Collapsing onto the bed, on his back, Jin frowned and tried to figure out what the feeling was. Jealousy would make sense, but this was closer to a feeling of danger.

He jolted a little when he felt a warm, wet cloth gently wiping at one of the cuts he had gotten earlier during his fight. Neneko jumped a bit at his reaction, a pink tint rising to her otherwise pale face and filling it with warmth. "You don't have to do that," he tried to protest.

"Please…allow me to do this for you. After you protected me…this is the least I can do," she argued.

"That least you could do is give me some cuddles! No! I mean…I didn't…" Jin covered his mouth and turned onto his side so he faced away from her. "I should've known we were being followed! That guy…ruined our date! He ruined our date! The night shouldn't end like this!"

"…Jin…" The bed dipped ever so slightly as she joined him. Pressing against his back, she wrapped her arms around him and rested her forehead against the back of his shoulder. "Jin, I…love you dearly. Just to be able to spend time with you…brings me great joy. Though it is embarrassing to admit something so-"

He twisted his upper half a little and reached back without thinking. Fingers tangled in her long dark hair and drew her face to his. When Jin's lips met hers, there was a sensation in his heart and stomach. Like a million butterflies taking flight. He felt like he could take on the whole world in this moment.

They remained this way for quite a while before the kiss broke and he found himself looking up at the young woman that was now leaning over him. She was still blushing and a timid sort of smile was tugging at her lips. Her violet eyes locked onto his gaze and she reached up to push her hair behind her right ear.

"I…I can't…handle this right now." He pushed himself to sit upright and held his head in both hands, his fingertips digging at his scalp. His pulse was racing and adrenaline was beginning to make him feel like he might split apart. Jin gritted his teeth and began to glance around for his mask.

He felt Neneko's delicate hands soon slipped it into place over his head and he grabbed her in a tight hug. "Awww! See? That's why we're soulmates! We know each other so well! Seriously, you hardly ever talk about your past! Spill it!"


	27. Chapter 27

NeonHorizon: Quick warning! There's a mention of physical abuse near the beginning of the chapter. The rest of the chapter is pretty sweet, but the fifth paragraph from the top is kind of dark. I had some extra romantic bits in this chapter to try to make up for it. Let me know if there's anything you want to see more of in this story.

* * *

The first time Neneko intentionally used her quirk was in high school. To explain why she did it, one would have to look a bit further back into the past. She had a rather unusual upbringing and was brought into the world by rather unusual parents.

Her father fell in love with her mother in high school. He fell for her melodic voice and her beauty before even knowing what her personality was like. A few attempts were made at asking her on a date, but each offer was met with a refusal. Unfortunately for Neneko's mother, he was a persistent man.

He bypassed Neneko's mother and spoke directly to Neneko's maternal grandparents about marrying their daughter. A large dowry was promised. Being not so well off, they agreed to have their daughter marry him.

Neneko's father was obsessed with anything traditional. In high school, he had learned kendo and archery. He practiced his calligraphy every day. He despised anything foreign, which was unfortunate since Neneko's mother had always loved foreign films. He imposed his own desires on his wife and his daughter. There were strict rules to follow and he was brutal if these rules were ever broken.

Her mother tended to break the rules more often than Neneko. The day that Neneko intentionally used her quirk, she had broken a rule about hair cutting and Neneko had returned home to find her mother being physically disciplined by her father. The woman was bleeding, crying, pleading for it to end and promising to never break another rule. It was when Neneko saw her mother's bloody face that she unleased a furious shout that ultimately resulted in her father taking his own life.

Neneko was taken by the police and questioned. A young hero with a vocal quirk had to speak on her behalf and explain how emotions could sometimes cause people with vocal quirks to accidentally use their quirk. He had been kind to her and understanding, but he did not realize the truth. Neneko had wanted her father to die that day. She had raised her voice, used her quirk, with the full intent to end him.

Pushing away the wretched memories of her past, she brought herself back to the present. To the warmth of Jin's embrace and the safety of the hotel room. _I can never allow him to know the details of my father's death. If he ever knew…what I did to my father…such a horrid way to end one's self..._

She shook her head and wrapped her arms around Jin. "You are…a great man," she whispered. "I truly appreciate all that you've done for me."

"Awww! You don't have to thank me! Come on! You can thank me with some cuddles!" The eye parts of his mask indicated he was smiling behind it and he leaned down to rub his cheek against hers. A hand moved up along her back, hesitantly at first, and soon fingers ran through her long dark hair.

Neneko lifted her face a little and found his mask-covered mouth pressing against hers through the fabric. The woman's violet eyes widened in momentary alarm before she began to kiss back. Her arms had been around his neck and tightened now, bringing her closer to him.

He fell onto his back on the bed, taking her with him. The translator was on top of him, her legs to either side of his left leg. His right hand remained threaded into her hair and the left tentatively began to move down her back. He let it rest against her lower back for a moment before very cautiously lowering it.

She tensed for an instant, startled, but then relaxed. Neneko felt blood rushing to her face, heating it until it felt like her cheeks could be glowing. His fingertips were warm against her thigh as they gently skimmed over her pale skin. He was being extremely careful; as if he was afraid that his touch might make her shatter like glass.

The kiss was broken and Neneko buried her face in the area between his neck and shoulder. She wanted to take off his mask for a proper kiss, but she knew that it made him feel more secure when he was wearing it. Her attention was drawn away from the kiss as she felt his fingertips rub small circles on her skin. Her back arched subconsciously, her hips pressing tighter against his and inadvertently pushing her thigh against a particular part of him.

"Neneko, are you trying to seduce me? It's not gonna work! Hey! If we're gonna do this, I wanna be on top!"

She flushed a warm pink shade and leaned back a little from his neck. Her hands gently gripped the edges of his mask, but she hesitated to actually pull it up. "I…I would never…force myself on you in such a way…" she argued, quickly drawing her hands away from his mask.

"What?! No way! Come on! Show a little _force_! You're so _sweet_! I'll take the lead if that's how you want it!" His hand left her hair and he dragged his mask up to reveal his face, his teeth gritted. The man's gray-blue eyes met her violet ones and a hint of warmth rose to his face. "N-Neneko…"

"Jin…I…" The young woman leaned down, bringing her lips against his without a barrier this time. Her thigh inadvertently rubbed against him again and her lips muffled his groan.

His hand moved from her outer leg and pressed at her lower back, keeping her body flush against his. He broke the kiss and turned his head to the side, his eyebrows furrowed and teeth gritted. Jin's expression was one of indecision as he glanced toward her.

"I…want to go further," he mumbled. "But only if _you_ want to. I'm not…I'd never push you to do something you don't want to do."

Her pulse quickened and she bit her lower lip, casting her gaze to the side. She loved him more than she had ever loved another person, but she had not thought about going this far. Not that she was exactly opposed to it; she found him attractive and the sight of him in his villain costume had given her a nosebleed a few times.

The problem was her quirk. Neneko had boyfriends in the past, but they never lasted long. Any time she was intimate, she had to keep her voice lowered or try to be silent. Her relationships always ended soon after this. In her experience, the guys always seemed to prefer a girl that would be loud. They seemed to need that verbal validation.

"Jin…I…would like to go further," she admitted. "However…you would be disappointed by my silence. Despite how I might feel, I must keep my voice lowered to prevent my quirk from affecting you."

"Th-that's okay! Neneko, you don't…have to be loud!" Jin was staring up at her now, his face inches from hers. He blinked in surprise when he saw her blushing and leaned into her touch when her soft fingertips gently caressed the side of his face. "Neneko. I…love you. I just want you to be comfortable."

"Perhaps…we should-" Neneko was interrupted by a knock at the hotel room door. She and Jin both turned their heads toward the bedroom doorway and listened as the knocking persisted.

Only Giran and Compress knew where they were staying. Compress only knew due to having helped them move since he was there when the decision was made. His quirk was quite useful when it came to moving their belongings.

Jin moved first, carefully sitting up and holding Neneko against his chest for a moment. He glanced from her to the doorway before reaching a decision of his own. "Stay here. I'm just going to check if it's Giran."

"Wait…" Neneko was left alone on the bed and watched him leave the room, her heart racing. When he was out of sight, she rushed after him. Her arms wrapped around his left arm, hugging it to her chest as she tried to pull him away from the door. "This is unnecessary. If you indulge them-"

"Hey, it's me. Come on. Open up." The voice was male and familiar.

The two exchanged a glance and Neneko hugged his arm tighter. _Dabi. Why is he here? We were quick to return to the hotel so how did he track us? I suppose he might have gotten this location from Giran, but for what purpose? If he anticipates some form payment for his useless part in what took place within that alley, he will be disappointed._

Jin opened the door to admit the other villain and was startled to find that Dabi was not alone. He had brought Toga with him. The girl was the first to enter the hotel room, looking around at everything and then grinning when she saw Neneko. Dabi entered behind her, his eyes immediately focusing on the couch in the main room.

"Is there a reason for this intrusion on our privacy?" Neneko spoke, shifting her hold from Jin's entire arm to just simply holding his hand.

Toga saw this and began to blush pink. "That's so cute! Sorrow, you really love him, don't you? You really, really love him!"

"Keep your voice down. You'll draw attention." Dabi sprawled on the couch and made himself comfortable. Only when he seemed satisfied did he finally lift his eyes to the couple and smirked. "So this is where you live? Not bad."

"Isn't this place expensive?" the girl chimed in.

"I am able to afford this due to my work as a translator," Neneko protested. "This hotel…is secure and it provides everything that we may need."

"You think the leader would like this place, Twice?" Dabi turned his head slightly toward Jin, his smirk still intact.

"Tomura would be impressed," Toga agreed.

"You guys…can't be here. Neneko…I mean _Sorrow_ and I were doing something!" Jin's grip on her hand tightened a little, but not so much that it hurt.

Neneko lifted her free hand, chewing at her thumbnail in frustration. _My name. You…spoke my name in front of them._ She could already see Toga's smile growing sheepish as the girl glanced at Dabi. _He is the one that brought her here. I am certain that it was in order to create a distraction. Though I am unable to place why such a distraction would be needed._

"Neneko, huh? That's…a weird name." Dabi got up from the couch and approached the two, ignoring Toga. The girl was behind him, looking out the window at the view of the city below. His turquoise gaze briefly lingered on Neneko before lifting to Jin's face. "Got somewhere we could talk? I need to talk to Twice. _Just_ Twice."

Grimacing, Jin pulled his mask down and gave him a thumbs up. "You bet, Dabi! Ugh! I don't wanna be alone with you! Creepy!" He went ahead of Dabi to the little kitchen and waved his arms. "Are you gonna make me wait?! Take your time! I'm gonna grab a snack!"

They both saw him disappear from the doorway and soon heard him rummaging in a cupboard. A scarred, patchwork hand settled on Neneko's shoulder as the dark-haired villain leaned down to her ear. "Neneko's a weird name. Think I like _Mystic_ better." He flashed her a smug look as he drew away and went to join Jin in the kitchen.

She stared after him and winced when the kitchen door slid closed. _What…could he be speaking with Jin about? I wish that I could hear them. I wish that I knew._ Her eyes drifted to Toga and she nodded to herself. _I'm certain that she will help me, with the right amount of prompting._

Standing beside the girl, she looked down at the city as well and had to half-smile. It was a good view; she could watch shoppers and other unassuming civilians go about their daily, mundane tasks without any sort of worry. She had seen a few rather bizarre fashion choices pass by below just the day before.

"Toga-chan…"

The blonde girl beamed and looked over at her. "You guys are so cute together. I wanna meet someone I can get all lovey-dovey with."

"I'm sure that you will one day. You…have good looks. And you are quite talented with your quirk, from what I have heard." She paused and frowned. "Toga-chan, I do apologize for being so blunt, but are you aware of what Dabi intended to discuss with Twice?"

She frowned back at Neneko and tilted her head. "I don't know. I ran into Dabi in an alley and he asked if I wanted to see where you live. He said he got your address from Giran or something. I don't know why he wanted to come here, but I'm glad he invited me. Now you can tutor me, right?"

"Ah…tutor you?" The woman tilted her head slightly and then remembered their earlier conversation. "Yes…of course. I recall now; you wanted to learn some phrases in foreign languages."

"I want to know how to say "I love you" in as many languages as you know."

"I suppose we could work on that." Thankfully, the kitchen door slid open seconds later. Neneko watched both male villains emerge and started toward them, but saw Jin hold up a hand. "Could you…perhaps enlighten me…?"

"Dabi and I are going out for a while! Stay here with Toga-chan, okay?" He approached her and held her shoulders, his masked face a few inches above hers. "I'm gonna keep you safe no matter what! I'm drawing the line at getting stabbed! Ain't gonna happen if a knife's involved!"

"…I believe further explanation is in order…" she mumbled, frowning.

He held up a finger and shook his head. "No way! Just stay here and I'll be back soon!"

"Are you done? I wanna make this fast; I'm tired." Dabi was already at the apartment door. He saw Toga tilt her head and he nodded toward the woman. "Stay with _Sorrow_ and keep her company until we come back. Shouldn't take us too long."


	28. Chapter 28

Enthusiasm and trepidation clashed within him as he moved down the sidewalk, but his mask was holding him together. It would have to stay on until he was back in the hotel room. Back in his soulmate's embrace. Thinking about her now filled him with such a feeling of love that he started to grin beneath his mask.

He remembered her gentle touch, the soft way she had spoken to him, and the warm flush of her cheeks from just earlier that evening. It was more fuel for the fire already burning in his heart. He loved her and, amazingly enough, she loved him back. It was truly an incredible feeling to be so completely accepted by someone.

"Want to take it down a notch? You're skipping," Dabi muttered beside him.

"I can't help it! I'm excited! Oh yeah?! You take it up a notch and get on my level, Dabi!" Jin pointed at him, his arm waving to demonstrate his frustration and excitement. "This was your idea! How about a little enthusiasm?"

The other villain smirked in response. "She's a member of our team. The leader would want us to keep her from getting grabbed by someone else, right?"

"What does he know anyway? Yeah, you're totally right!" He shrugged and looked up ahead at the bar they were approaching. "This is the place? Ugh, what a dive!"

"It's the ramen place next to the bar."

"What?! Why would they be in a ramen shop? You said you knew where they'd be!" Jin turned his head to study the ramen restaurant with skepticism.

When Dabi said he knew where to find more people that were searching for Neneko, Jin had leapt at the chance to put a stop to their attempts before they could make a move. Now he was unsure of whether this was really a good idea or not. He wanted to protect Neneko, but this seemed somewhat shady.

The half-charred villain continued to the shop's entrance and leaned against the wall about a foot away from the door. "If my source was right, the first guy is going to leave soon. We'll grab him when he steps outside."

Nodding his agreement, Jin went to stand on the other side of the door with his arms crossed. He was silent for a few seconds before a question popped into his head. "Hey, Dabi! You never said where you got your info from. Seems pretty sketchy."

His smirk grew and Dabi brushed some ashes off of his jacket. "People will tell you anything if it's for survival. Besides, if it's a trap then I'll just burn them all before they get too close."

Jin nodded again, but felt a little uneasy. He had known what Dabi would do with the guy that had tried to take Neneko. It was obvious that he was going to kill him. It was wrong, but it was necessary if they wanted to keep the translator safe. Jin understood that, but if he thought about it too much then it added to that horrible feeling that he was going to split apart. Killing was wrong, but he needed to protect Neneko so it was correct. It was too confusing to focus on.

The door opened about five minutes after Dabi last spoke and the dark-haired villain said a name. The man turned to ask how he knew his name and that was Jin's cue. He grabbed the man by the back of the neck and forcefully guided him into the alley to the right of the ramen shop.

As he shoved him face-first into the wall, his other hand pinning the man's right arm behind his back, Jin's thoughts were solely on Neneko. Remembering when he had entered her apartment to find her face bleeding and bruised. The fear and pain she had suffered. The way she trembled when this man's accomplice came after them earlier that night.

"You're supposed to be looking for a woman, right? She's got long black hair and purple eyes?" The question came from Dabi as he sauntered into the alley and stood between them and the street beyond. "Neneko, right, Twice?"

Jin's grip on the man's neck and arm tightened, his teeth gritting when he heard Dabi say her name that way. There was a clenching sensation in his chest, around his heart, but he focused instead on the task at hand. The sooner this was over, the sooner she would be safe. The sooner he could be sleeping next to Neneko and holding her. The sooner he could feel comfortable again.

"Look! It's my boss that wants her! She knows too much so-!" The man hissed in pain, feeling his arm bent sharply upwards.

"You guys just wanna hurt her! What's he want her for anyway?!" Jin demanded. His pulse was racing, imagining the absolute worst.

"I-I don't know what he's planning to do when he gets her! Rumor is that he already killed her and brought her back once!" A howl of agony erupted as his arm snapped.

Beneath his mask, Jin's eyes were teary. He choked back a cry as he drew the man's head back and slammed his forehead against the wall, knocking him out. The unconscious gang member was dropped heavily to the ground as Jin stared blankly at the wall, panic rising within him. _She…died?! No! No, no, no! Neneko! She didn't die! She couldn't have died! If he killed her then how's she alive? Come on! This guy's out of his mind!_

"Gross. The bone's showing in his arm." Dabi walked over and nudged the toe of his boot against the man's ribs. There was only a faint twitch of the fingers on his good hand. "Whatever. We've got two more that I got the names of." He glanced over at Jin and raised an eyebrow. "Twice?"

He shook his head and gave Dabi an enthusiastic thumbs-up. Leaving the alley ahead of Dabi, he started to feel sick to his stomach. The thought of Neneko dying was too much for him to handle. He imagined her lying dead on the floor of her tea room, skin growing paler and blood running from her mouth. Her violet eyes wide and lifeless.

_I'm…not going to let that happen! I'll protect her no matter what!_ Jin heard the crackle of flames behind him in the alley and kept facing forward. He closed his eyes, trying to imagine what he would do when he got back to the hotel room. More than anything, he really wanted to cuddle with her again. It would be the perfect ending for their date night.

By the time he and Dabi had finished their task of more or less eliminating the men that Dabi knew had been assigned to look for Neneko, it was around three o'clock in the morning. The dark-haired villain had a fresh coat of ashes on his jacket and in his hair. Jin had managed to avoid getting hit with any of them; he was pretty good at dodging, after all.

He had started to feel tired, but now that they were done he felt cheerful. "This was great! She's gonna be so safe now! Until they send more guys!" Looking toward Dabi, he saw the younger man yawn and stretch his arms over his head. "What's your problem? You should be celebrating! We saved Sorrow! For a little while, anyway!"

"Sorrow, huh? Her name's _Neneko_, right?"

Jin felt that he was sufficiently "together" enough to pull his mask up. He drew his cigarettes from his pocket as well as his lighter and lit a cigarette. "It's…Kuroiwa Neneko. She didn't want anyone to know so-"

"Yeah, yeah. Who would I tell anyway? Leader, maybe. Bet he already knows so what's the point?" Dabi seemed to suddenly notice the ashes on his clothes and hair. With a look of frustration, he started shaking them off of him. "You knew she was Mystic, didn't you?"

The blond man tensed and anxiously ran his fingertips along his scar, his head bowed to try to hide his deep frown. "Y-yeah…I found out."

"You found out? What? So she didn't tell you? She likes secrets, doesn't she?" He studied Jin's expression as the older man took a drag from his cigarette. Smoke blew away in a thin stream and Dabi watched it with half-interest. "What else do you think she's hiding?"

"She isn't hiding anything! Ngh! Don't…say stuff like that! She wouldn't keep secrets from me. We…know everything about each other. We're _soulmates_." Jin's fingers ran through his hair as he found himself hunching forward a little.

"Seriously? You…sound like an old couple. Lame."

"What's your problem? You're just jealous I've got such a cute girl-! No! Stop! I mean…ngh! Just shut up! I know what you're trying to say and you're wrong, got it?! She…loves me! And I love her! And we don't keep secrets from each other!"

**Shift P.O.V**

Neneko attempted to stay awake to wait for Jin's return, but it proved difficult. She was accustomed to going to sleep somewhat early since she usually began her translation work around eight o'clock in the morning. Efforts were made to attempt to keep herself awake, of course.

She made black tea for herself and Toga before initiating the first lesson. The girl expressed an interest in learning how to say "I love you" in English first so Neneko set about trying to teach her the correct pronunciation. She was amazed to find Toga picking it up rather quickly.

The blonde girl had inevitably dozed off on the couch around one o'clock and now Neneko was sitting on the floor in front of the coffee table. She was trying to keep herself from falling asleep by creating some handmade worksheets for Toga to work on. _I believe she is seventeen…I have to wonder what why she has chosen the path of a villain. Giran did mention that she is no longer in contact with her parents…_

She looked across the table at the girl sleeping on the couch. Neneko tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear and returned to her task. _Toga has potential in regards to learning new languages. I believe it would suit her quirk as well. If she were to use her quirk to assume the identity of a foreigner, knowledge of a different language would certainly help her ability to fully play her role._

Neneko heard footsteps approaching the hotel room door and seconds later, it was opened. She was relieved to see Jin unharmed and alone. The translator stood, intending to walk over to greet him. Instead, she found herself being swept off her feet and carried bridal style into the bedroom.

"Jin…are you…alright?" she questioned.

He sat on the edge of the bed, with her on his lap, and closed his eyes. The man's arms wrapped around her, pulling her against his chest. No explanation was offered in regards to what he and Dabi had done when they left. He failed to even tell her where Dabi was. It seemed that holding her was his number one priority.

Seeing him like this made her worry and Neneko's arms slid around his neck, pulling him close into her embrace. She let her fingers run through his hair, gently, and soon felt his hold on her loosen as he relaxed. "Jin? You have me worried. Please…could you tell me what happened?"

The man shook his head and drew one arm away so he could pull his mask from his pocket. It was tossed onto the bedside table shortly before he fell onto his back on the mattress and continued to hold her against him. "Neneko, I…I want to know…everything about you. I don't want us to have any secrets," he said through gritted teeth, struggling with his conflicting emotions.

She frowned and buried her face in the side of his neck, her pale hands clutching the front of his shirt. _If I do confide in him, will he keep it a secret from those villains? I have no desire for anyone to know my birth name. Much less the atrocity I committed in my youth…_

"If…if I were to tell you…I would need your silence," she whispered.

"We're soulmates! I…I'd never say something that you want me to keep secret!" he argued.

_Soulmates…_The word made her heart skip a beat and she knew she had to tell him. To continue to keep it a secret would be disloyal. She really, truly loved him and knew he felt the same way towards her. "Very well. My birth name…was Hitokoe Nageku…but I was forced to abandon that name with my past…shortly after my quirk caused my father to…take his own life…"

The young woman quietly told him everything about the terrible event and expressed to him that Hitokoe Nageku was not who she was now. The person she had grown up to become was Kuroiwa Neneko and that was how she preferred to be addressed. Truthfully, before losing contact, her mother had even stopped calling her Nageku and referred to her as Neneko.

She told him about how she was raised, how she had rebelled via foreign language, and included stories she thought he may find interesting. Gradually, they moved from lying across the bed sideways to lying lengthwise with Neneko's head resting on his chest. His arm was wrapped around her, his body heat comforting and gradually lulling her towards sleep.

"This evening…I began teaching Toga-chan how to say "I love you" in English," she eventually told him. "She's actually quite good with English pronunciation. I believe she has the potential to pick up the language if she practices."

Jin, now quite relaxed and most likely drawing in the direction of sleep as well, half-smiled sheepishly and tucked his free arm beneath his head as added cushioning. "How do you say that?"

She said it in English and saw his lips move a few times as he tested the words out. When he spoke them to her, Neneko flushed pink and she closed her eyes. "Ah…your pronunciation…is quite decent, Jin."

There was a certain surge of joy within her. Hearing him say that he loved her made her quite happy. Additionally, she was fond of foreign languages so the bonus of him saying it in English only made things that much better. She leaned up to press a gentle kiss to his lips and found herself being pulled closer to deepen it.


	29. Chapter 29

It was the morning after he and Dabi had gone to great lengths to make sure that Neneko would be safe. The morning after he dozed off with Neneko in his arms. They had talked so much. He now felt like he knew everything about her and it made him love her that much more.

Looking down at where she was curled up beside him, her sleeping face turned in his direction, Jin felt like his heart might actually burst out of his chest. This was a level of happiness that he had never felt before. He wanted to hug her. He wanted to feel her body against his and smell the delicate lavender scent that always seemed to cling to her.

Instead, he remained as still as possible so he could let her keep sleeping. He had no idea what time it was or how many calls he might have missed from Giran. In this moment, none of that even mattered. He finally turned his head toward the ceiling and lifted a trembling hand to run through his hair.

It was still so hard to believe that he was in this situation. In a hotel that was way nicer than any place he had ever been in, sleeping next to a woman that loved him as much as he loved her. He had daydreamed about Neneko sharing his feelings. He had fantasized about being able to be with her, having a life together. Jin knew that this was as close to that as they could probably get.

They were villains now. He was, anyway. He still found it hard to actually see her as a villain. As his eyes shifted to the side, looking at Neneko again, he had to smile. _She's…not a villain. She's too good for that. She's…too good for me. I'm just lucky she likes me. No way! I'm great!_

An idea popped into his head at that moment and he pushed himself to sit up very carefully. Neneko remained peacefully asleep. Jin opened the door to the bedroom and was glad to see that Toga had left. He wanted to spend time alone with Neneko. Especially after all that had happened the previous day.

He started boiling some water for tea and got out the box of lavender chamomile tea bags that he had picked up the last time he got groceries. The very small kitchen provided him with few options for breakfast, but that was fine. He honestly did not know very many recipes.

As he set up breakfast on the coffee table, he started to feel excited. Jin wanted to impress her. He wanted to show her how responsible he could be. How she could depend on him to provide for her. He was still holding onto that daydream of someday getting married and maybe even raising a kid together. It was just a fantasy and he knew it was a little much, but it made him happy.

A soft chiming sound came from the bedroom and made him pause in his steps. He had just been on his way to try to gently wake her up. Jin heard Neneko's soft, whispery voice greet someone and he frowned. Running a hand over his hair, he hesitantly began to approach the open doorway.

She was sitting up in bed, her lips drawn into a look of displeasure as she listened to whoever had so rudely called her and disturbed her sleep. "I hope you realize that making such a request…will not come at a small price. What you are asking of me is quite a sizeable amount of translating. Under normal circumstances, this type of job would normally demand a price of at least-"

The blond man tensed when her eyes lifted and met his. Having those sharp violet eyes solely on him made his heart skip a beat and he rubbed the back of his neck, starting to feel a little flustered. He wanted to be next to her, but he was hesitant. She was on the phone and, as badly as he wanted to just cuddle with her, Jin did not want to come across as clingy.

Neneko's face began to turn from its normal pale shade to a faint pink and she lowered her head. "Yes…I will assist with the translations. I will require at least an hour in order to get prepared. You rather rudely disturbed my sleep for this…so I believe further compensation can be expected. Additionally, I will be bringing him with me. Yes, I understand. I will see you shortly."

Seeing her end the call, Jin decided that now was the time to sit on the edge of the bed. "What was that about?" He reached for his cigarettes on reflex and anxiously fidgeted with the pack.

She chewed at her thumbnail, still keeping her head bowed. "That…was Giran-san. He requested my aid in some…communication attempts…for Shigaraki. I agreed to translate the documents and I will be compensated for my time. I wonder…if it would not be too much trouble…could I perhaps impose upon you and ask that you accompany me?"

"O-of course!" he immediately blurted out. Putting a hand over his mouth, he hunched forward a little and furrowed his brow. _I…have to calm down. How can I stay calm when there's such a cutie in my bed?! I just wanna grab her-! Shut up! I can't…deal with this. I feel like I'm going to-!_

Arms wrapped around him in a gentle embrace as Neneko pressed against his back. Her forehead rested against the back of his shoulder, her warm breath gliding over his bare arm and making him feel kind of tingly. "N-Neneko, I'm sorry," he mumbled, lifting a hand to rest on top of the delicate, pale hand on his chest.

"You…have nothing to apologize for. Jin, I rather enjoy your enthusiasm," she assured him.

"I made breakfast. I don't know if we have time to eat, but…"

**Shift P.O.V**

Neneko had never had someone cook for her, other than her mother when she was a child. None of the men she had dated in the past ever cooked for her. They barely even cooked for themselves.

The first time Jin made food for her, she was amazed and extremely grateful. This time was no different. Following him out to the main room, she covered her mouth to hide a bright smile. Lavender chamomile tea, perfectly browned toast, and a jar of strawberry jam. Simple, but beyond thoughtful.

She truly appreciated everything that he did for her, but there was little time for her to enjoy the meal. Neneko did drink the tea and had a piece of toast, expressing to him how grateful she was that he had done this. As much as she wanted to just remain in the hotel room with him all day, talking as they had the previous night, she knew she had to hurry to Giran's office.

The man had presented an interesting opportunity to her. During the previous evening, when she had been teaching Toga some simple English, she came to a startling realization. Giran knew about Toga's lack of communication with her parents. He had even known where Neneko lived when he first approached her.

It only made sense that he most likely kept a file with all of the names of the villains in the League. Their true names as well as bits about their background. Any good employer would do this. Kurono had once mentioned that even Chisaki had a small collection of information on the strongest members of the Shie Hassaikai.

Her sleepwear was changed out for a knee-length skirt and a t-shirt. A casual outfit that would by no means draw someone's attention. She was both glad and anxious to have Jin go with her to the office. He knew almost everything about her past now. Her birth name, the death of her father, the way her mother had almost immediately abandoned her when she fell in love with a foreigner.

Of course, she was hesitant to disclose information to him regarding her past lovers. It was rather embarrassing to talk about. She knew it was selfish to keep this information from him, but she was afraid that it might be terrible enough to scare him off.

Jin saw her nervously chewing at a thumbnail and frowned. Reaching over, the man's warm hand gently took hers and held it. He looked exhausted, but when their eyes briefly met, a warmth rose to his face. "Is everything okay?"

_I need to reassure him. If he begins to feel like he's splitting…_Neneko gave him a nod. "Yes. I just…have a lot on my mind at the moment. There is something important that I need to discuss with Giran-san today so I need to collect my thoughts."

"What…kind of stuff? No. You don't have to answer that. I didn't mean to sound nosey."

"No. Jin, I will tell you. That was…not nosey, in the least." Neneko's lips drew into a timid smile as she moved closer against his side. "My intent…well…I suppose my intention is to insure the safety of my past clients. What I intend to ask Giran-san is to have my old name listed in his files so that, on the chance that files are discovered by the authorities, none of the small businesses that I worked with will be tied to the villain "Sorrow"."

Jin's free hand moved to his pocket for his pack of cigarettes. Sliding one between his lips, he reached for his lighter. "Your past clients?"

"Yes. To put it simply, if someone were to see the name "Kuroiwa Neneko" linked to this group…they may attempt to dig up information on me. They could potentially come across the businesses I have worked with in the past and that could result in them being investigated or accused of working with villains. My intent is to prevent that from happening."

"That's…really nice of you. I didn't think about that." He looked down at her for a moment and a small smile began to form.

_His smile…is so genuine. Not at all forced._ Neneko felt her heart seem to flutter and she lowered her head. "Yes, well…thank you. Jin, you are very sweet. Your words…mean more to me than you can imagine."

She wanted to say more, but it was difficult to express herself properly. His smile, his kind words, the warmth of his hand still holding hers. It was all so much. It made her heart feel like it was swelling with happiness, despite her current situation. Just being outside put them both in danger, but thoughts of that were momentarily overshadowed by the feelings of love.

Giran greeted the two in his dimly-lit office with a less than reassuring smile. "Glad you made it. I heard you had some trouble yesterday."

Neneko accepted the documents to begin her translation and frowned. Sitting on the couch with Jin beside her, she fixed her gaze upon the shady broker. "Where did you hear such gossip?"

"Dabi. Said he was pretty busy last night, too. Cleaning up some trash your old client sent after you." Giran lit a cigarette and stood in front of his desk, leaning back against the edge. He looked at Jin for a long moment, smirked, and shook his head. "I've gotta say it was a good move, though. Really drove home the point that Sorrow's got someone's protection."

She was sorting through the pages, trying to get them in order. Her eyes were no longer on Giran. "I suppose his intention is to attempt to make me owe him."

"He probably would've said something to you instead of me, don't you think? Anyway, since he took care of all the guys your buddy sent, that should keep things calm for a while. If that guy thinks you're under the protection of someone with a lot of power, he'll back off. So. What's the story? Why does he want you so badly?"

Neneko bit her lip and straightened the pages in her hands. They were settled on the arm of the couch and she opened the notebook provided by Giran. "To be perfectly honest…I'm quite glad that you brought this up. I have certain…sensitive…information that one might consider rather valuable. Information that involves contacts for quirk-boosting drugs as well as weapons dealers and…information on the workings of his organization."

Giran nodded, his smirk growing. "I see. So he just wants to keep you quiet, right? Or is this something more than that?"

"I was offered a position with his organization and I politely refused." She caught Jin looking her way and set a hand on his knee in reassurance. "You must keep a file on each member of our group, correct? I thought I might make a trade. I can supply you with the name of a contact I'm certain Shigaraki could use and you will change Sorrow's name from "Kuroiwa Neneko" to "Hitokoe Nageku"."

He took an inhale from his cigarette and mulled over the offer. Finally, Giran grinned. "How about this? I'll change your name, but I want you to introduce me to this contact personally. I want a weapons dealer that can supply the League with some high class stuff. I'll bring you and Compress with me."

Jin's hands curled into fists and he tensed up. "Wait a second, I don't-! I don't want her to go somewhere dangerous! Take me, too!" Stress was quickly building up and he glanced from Giran to Neneko. He lifted a hand, fingers threading into his hair and tugging a bit as he struggled. "She's…smart and she can take care of herself! I know that, but-! Don't take her somewhere dangerous!"

Neneko's hand moved from his knee to his forearm. She gave a gentle squeeze, trying to quietly reassure him. "Jin…everything will be fine."

"No! Neneko, I don't want you to go without me!"

"Bubaigawara, you're not right for this kind of job. She'll be fine. Compress and I will be there; we won't let anything happen to our little siren." Giran's words only seemed to make things worse.

"No way! I can't let her go!" He gritted his teeth and slouched, eyes tearing up and sweat beading on his forehead. "I can't-! I know she's smart enough she can take care of herself! She's a…strong, independent woman! I have to protect her! I can't let her go there! Shut up! She'll be fine!"

The translator leaned over and wrapped her arms around him. She ignored the smug way Giran looked at them, doing her best to help Jin calm down. Words seemed to have no effect. She simply held him until he grew less tense and finally turned his head to look at her. "I promise…that I will return safely."


	30. Chapter 30

NeonHorizon: Dare I go into detail next chapter?

* * *

"I would like to make this quick, if possible." Neneko intended to make it perfectly clear to Giran that she had no desire to stick around for long. She hated to leave Jin by himself and she knew how worried he was about her going without him. _Though, truthfully…he does get excited quickly. This is for the best._

Compress gave a nod of agreement, walking on Giran's other side. "It would be best if we keep this brief. So this contact of yours. Do they speak any Japanese?"

"The name you gave me is French, right?"

"Yes. Fortier-san imports his weapons from Europe. He mostly specializes in firearms, but I am aware that he can acquire blades as well." The translator frowned as she ran her fingers through her obsidian hair and drew it back into a loose sort of bun. "I will be required to do most of the talking. His Japanese is…less than perfect. If he does speak to you in Japanese, please be sure to compliment his pronunciation."

"So you've met this guy before? This isn't a blind, only talked on the phone before, kind of thing?" Giran asked, lighting a cigarette.

"Yes, I've met him in person. My associate…the one that offered me a position with his organization…he brought me to translate before. Fortier-san knows me."

Giran nodded and looked to Compress, who was listening intently to the conversation. "Okay. That being the case, here's how I want this set up. Compress, I want you to stick close to her side while she's talking. If he's got connections with that other guy, I don't want to risk someone making a grab for Sorrow and thinking they can ransom her."

"It will be my pleasure." Compress tipped his hat forward a little and moved around him to walk beside Neneko. "Just out of curiosity, where's Twice tonight?"

"He was forced to remain home. Giran-san…believed he would be ill-suited to join us and I'm afraid I must agree. He can be somewhat…_excitable_. I would like to avoid him possibly being injured." She bowed her head, chewing on her thumbnail as she tried to imagine how he might be fairing on his own.

The broker seemed to catch on and smirked. "Want me to call someone to go check on him?"

"Are you both that worried about leaving him alone for a few hours? What do you suppose he's doing right at this moment?" Compress tilted his head back and one could only imagine that he must be wearing a smug expression beneath his mask. "Do you think he might have made a double of you to _keep him company_?"

"That…is impossible. I'm afraid that I have yet to let him take my measurements for him to create a double," she admitted.

"So you mean to say that he has my measurements and Dabi's measurements, but not yours. I thought that you were a couple."

Neneko straightened her posture and fixed her sharp violet eyes on Compress in a firm stare. "Compress-san, I must confess that I dislike this tone that you have chosen. What you seem to be insinuating is, in fact, rather crude. Or am I mistaken in believing you thought he would make a double of me in order to have an _enjoyable evening_ in my absence?"

Giran raised both eyebrows and blew a ring of smoke toward Compress. "Better apologize. Even I think that was out of line."

The masked villain bowed in a rather dramatic way and removed his hat. "I'm sorry, my dear. You're absolutely right. That was crude."

"Lewd," the broker chimed in.

"I shouldn't have said something like that. My apologies."

She gave a small nod. "Yes, well…I can forgive this sort of mistake once. You are normally quite well-mannered and I respect that quality in a villain."

Thankfully, the weapons dealer greeted Neneko warmly and seemed completely unaware that there was a price on her head. Introductions were given and business went quite smoothly. When they left the meeting location, it was with the confirmation that the man would supply Giran with some weapons for the League of Villains.

The three separated once their business was finished. Giran left them in order to return to his office and report back to Shigaraki. Compress agreed to walk Neneko back to the hotel to make sure that she returned home safely.

_Jin…I hope that he's alright. _She checked her phone for new messages and there were none. No missed calls, either. The woman frowned as she scrolled through her contacts. She had blocked the numbers of all Shie Hassaikai members she had previous associated with, but they were still in her phone.

Chewing her thumbnail, she allowed her posture to relax from the professional stiffness from earlier. Neneko rolled her shoulders a bit and heard them pop quietly. "A rather tense situation," she murmured.

"I thought it went well. Your contact seemed friendly," Compress remarked.

"Yes, well…I suppose it does help that Fortier-san enjoys a particular type of sake, which I had sent to his hotel room as a pre-meeting gift." She smiled to herself, quite satisfied with the results. He had always preferred to deal with her directly rather than talk to Chisaki during their meetings, but Neneko had known this was a good move to make. Alcohol always worked as an effective tool to make new deals go smoothly in this shady sort of business.

"Smart. But it comes as no surprise; you're a clever young woman. In all honesty, I think you and Twice are a good match. You balance each other well. You're quiet and he can be loud. You're calm and he's…as you put it…excitable."

Neneko disliked the fact that this made her feel so happy, but it did. To hear someone else, outside of her relationship, comment on how well she and Jin went together. She felt quite delighted that someone else recognized it and acknowledged it. "Compress-san…such kind words. You are a true gentleman after all, it would seem."

"Of course, my dear. I don't know why you would question it." His smug smile could be detected through his words alone, even with his face still hidden behind his mask. "I was actually curious, though. Just say so if it's too embarrassing to talk about. You and Twice aren't married, are you?"

"No…we have only been together for a short while," she admitted. Neneko chewed at her thumbnail again, beginning to feel a bit anxious. _Such a question to ask. Though I suppose…the thought of marriage…perhaps someday._

**Shift P.O.V**

Agony was too weak of a word to describe what he was enduring. Sitting on the couch in the sitting area, fidgeting with his lighter as the news played on the television. Jin was slouching forward with his elbows resting on his knees, the hand that gripped the lighter turning pale from how tightly he clutched it.

His heart had been racing since Giran came to pick her up. Jin had hoped he could convince her to not go. He had two days between Giran asking her to go with him and them actually going, but he had failed to persuade her to stay with him. Now all he could do was wait for her to return.

As hard as he tried, it was difficult to not imagine her getting hurt or even killed. He reached for his pack of cigarettes, but hesitated to smoke in the hotel room. Even if he opened the window, he knew she would probably be bothered by the smell of the smoke. He slouched lower and ran his free hand through his hair, gritting his teeth.

_I should've gone with them anyway! Why didn't I follow her?! No way! I should've kept her from going! I couldn't do that; she'd hate me if I forced her to stay here! I'd be her hero! I love being her hero! No! That's not protecting her!_

"She's…smart. She's really smart. She won't let herself get hurt. I just…really hate not being there to protect her!" The lighter was dropped and both hands ran through his hair as he tried to calm himself down.

Thoughts crossed his mind. Terrible thoughts. Thoughts that he could have knocked her out and just told Giran she had changed her mind. Thoughts that he could have knocked her out, taken her measurements, and sent a double.

_She would hate me! I could never do something like that to her! Why did I even think-?! But it's a great idea! Then she'd be safe, at least! I can't do that! Maybe next time!_

In his struggle between wanting to keep her safe and wanting to keep her happy, Jin felt like he was splitting. He held his head with both hands and felt tears starting to form at the corners of his eyes. "I can't handle this! I need to know that she's okay! I can't just sit here when she might get hurt again! I can't keep letting her down!"

He rushed into the bedroom, grabbed his mask from the bedside table, and quickly made for the door. As he opened it, he found Neneko about to unlock it. Compress was standing behind her and tilted his head slightly when Jin appeared, his face unreadable behind his mask. Jin's heartbeat felt like it skipped and he moved without thinking.

Both arms wrapped around Neneko tightly, pulling her against his chest as the tears freely ran down his cheeks. "You're…you're okay, right?"

"Jin…yes, I'm fine. I can assure you; no one was harmed during my meeting."

Feeling her delicate hands brace against his shoulders, he felt like his heart might burst. He hugged her tighter and leaned down, burying his face in the side of her neck. She smelled like lavender and chamomile. She felt soft and warm against him. Just having her back with him for these few minutes, he could feel his panic fading and the splitting sensation went with it.

"Well, I did my part by making sure you got home safely, my dear. I'll see you both at the next meeting." Compress seemed to realize that his presence was unwanted in this moment and took his leave.

Jin stepped back, drawing Neneko in with him, and closed the door with her back pressed against it. A hand moved to lock the door while his other hand threaded into her silky, obsidian locks to lift her face. It was too much for him. Seeing his soulmate's soft, porcelain face staring up at him, her hands still on his shoulders, he felt an overwhelming urge that bordered on need.

**Shift P.O.V**

_Perhaps I should have called before my arrival. My heart…feels as if it is beating too quickly. As if my heart may burst._ Neneko stared up into his gray-blue eyes and felt her chest tighten at the sight of his tears. "Jin…I apologize. I sh-"

"I can't…I couldn't deal with you going without me," he murmured, leaning down more. "I was…going to go after you, but you're okay now. You're fine." His warm fingertips caressed the side of her face and he looked relieved as the tears continued to fall. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have doubted you. Ngh! Every time I'm not there, you get hurt! I don't wanna lose you! I can't…_lose_ you, Neneko!"

She was about to attempt to calm him down, but soon found herself being swept off her feet. Neneko wrapped her arms around his neck on reflex, trying to steady herself, and felt a fluttery sort of excitement in her stomach. "Jin…?"

He carried her into the bedroom and sat on the bed, holding her in his arms for a moment as he buried his face in her hair. "Neneko…I could've lost you! I don't know what I'd do if I lost you! I can't-!"

The translator lifted a hand, gently running her fingers through his messy blond hair and urging him to lift his face. "I…will not allow anyone to take me from you," she promised, meeting his gaze directly. She leaned up, capturing his lips with hers and tasting lavender chamomile tea in the kiss.

Jin returned the kiss and tentatively let his hands rest on her hips. When she moved so she straddled his lap, he took the opportunity and turned so she was on her back on the bed with him above her. One knee settled between her legs and he pressed himself close against Neneko as the kiss deepened.

Her eyes slid closed and she let herself focus on this moment. She felt an extreme mix of emotions. Being held and kissed made her feel warm and happy, but there was an underlying fear. Absolute terror at the thought of taking things further and potentially using her quirk by accidentally raising her voice. If her quirk ever caused him harm, she would never forgive herself.

_Though I do…want to take things further. I love him. I love him…so much…and I want to show him. Perhaps, if I use caution. If I cover my mouth…during the act itself…if he would like to go further than this…_Neneko pushed herself to be bold and slowly moved a hand to the hem of his shirt.

Her fingertips slipped beneath the fabric of his shirt and met warm skin. Heat rose to her face and a pleasant tingle ran through her as she delicately ran her hand up his chest. The knee between her legs pressed closer and her lips muffled a groan that tried to leave his mouth. Neneko felt the tingling sensation increase at the muffled sound and when he broke the kiss, she felt her heart sink for an instant.

Jin stared down at her intensely, his brow furrowed so that his scar looked even deeper. "You…want this, right?" he asked, his voice sounding strained.

"I…must admit that there is a danger involved, but…" She flushed pink and gave a nod. "I…would like this very much. You want this as well?"

The man's smile made her blush brighten to red. "I…really, really want this. I want you, Neneko."


	31. Chapter 31

NeonHorizon: Written on May 10th, which is supposed to be Twice's birthday. Mature content included.

* * *

Neneko felt as though her heart may burst in her chest. The sensation she was becoming so familiar with, the fluttery feeling like the wings of a million butterflies, took form in her stomach. She stared up at him, letting those words resonate within her head. The words she had never heard before. _He wants me?_

"You…truly feel this way?" she inquired, turning her head to the side. Fearful that he might reconsider his feelings toward her. Fearful of rejection from this man that she was becoming so deeply enamored with. The thought of him changing his mind was enough to make her chest feel tight, but she needed to know that this was something he honestly wanted, from the bottom of his heart.

There it was. A slight twitch in his facial muscles. An instant of apprehension. As her heart began to sink, however, Jin did something quite unexpected. He leaned down and brought his lips to hers. His left hand trailed through her obsidian hair and his right hand hesitantly rested on her hip.

When the kiss was broken, he was frowning. "Neneko, you're…_everything_ to me. I want this more than you think. But if you don't want to…I'm not going to force you to-" He was interrupted by her arms wrapping around his neck. "N-Neneko?!"

"Words are…failing me at the moment. This happiness…so overwhelming. You cannot know how much it means to me…how much I love you! I can normally express myself so well and yet I cannot find the proper way to convey this!" Her pulse was faster than ever before, her eyes tearful as she leaned back to look up at him.

Violet meeting gray-blue. A nervous smile meeting another. Jin looked so relieved, so blissful. It was difficult for her to even imagine looking away from him in this moment. "We'll…be careful," he started. "And if you decide you don't want this, I'll understand."

Neneko was understandably anxious. She wondered if she should attempt to create earplugs for him, out of tissue. In all honestly, she had never loved anyone as much as she loved Bubaigawara Jin. She wanted to protect him from danger; even if that danger was herself.

When she had intentionally used her quirk as a teenager, when she had been arrested and nearly put into prison, she had been defended by a young hero with a vocal quirk. Though their interaction did not last beyond the days he had needed to testify on her behalf, she did remember a conversation he had with her. Vocal quirks were a bit trickier than most others in that powerful emotions could cause the person to unintentionally use their quirk.

Anger, excitement, despair, joy. If the emotion was too powerful, the person might inadvertently let it slip. Even as he had explained this to her, his own voice was starting to raise with excitement. She remembered determining then and there that she would try to remain calm at all times so it would never happen again. So she would never cause someone harm again.

_I will need to keep silent_, she decided. _If I must speak, only whispers. If something happens to him…due to my quirk…I will never be able to forgive myself._ Neneko ran her fingers through his messy blond hair and bit her lip as she felt his warm fingertips slide beneath the hem of the dress she was wearing.

She helped him remove her villain costume and fell back against the pillows, her normally porcelain face flushed a bright red shade. Neneko was unable to deny that she was excited. There was a warm tingle running through her as she looked up at him, half-fearful he may change his mind.

Jin's face was also taking on a faint hint of a pinkish hue. He was on his knees on the bed, one leg between hers, appearing just slightly overwhelmed. He was clearly as excited as she was, possibly even more so, but at the same time he seemed worried.

Neneko pushed herself up so she could lean against the headboard and knew she needed to help him. She needed to reassure him that this was what she wanted as well. With the fluttery sensation growing in her stomach and chest, she began to slide her hands beneath the black tank top he was wearing. Fingertips gliding over toned muscle, her pulse quickening and a tingling feeling starting to pulse in her lower abdomen.

She was almost afraid she might get a nosebleed, as she often did when she saw him in his villain costume. Summoning forth some boldness she did not know she possessed, Neneko slid his shirt off and felt her heart skip a beat. She pushed herself up a little more, her lips meeting his as one hand ran through his hair and the other skimmed along his chest.

_He…is beyond wonderful, in so many ways. This love…so powerful that it almost hurts._ The translator felt his hands on her back; one sliding along her spine as the other rested on the small of her back to keep her pressed close. Neneko's chest was pushed flush against his and she bit back a gasp.

His hips pressed forward into hers, showing her again how excited she was making him. When his fingers skimmed over the clasp of her pale purple bra, he hesitated for just a moment before unclasping it. "This…is okay, right?" he asked, worry in his tone.

"I want this…more than you could know," she whispered, her breathing already becoming heavy as she felt his excitement press against her again. Neneko's arms wrapped around him, her eyes closing as she felt the hand on her lower back slip down a bit more. Rough fingertips skimmed over the soft fabric of her panties and her breathing hitched.

"If you want to stop-"

"I will tell you if it is too much," Neneko agreed. "However…I will request the same of you, Jin. I may become…vocal. If I begin to raise my voice, I must request that you tell me. I may not be aware of it. Promise me."

"I promise." He leaned back and gave her a smile that looked like he had been struggling to contain it.

Her heart was beating hard and fast as she slid her hand down his chest. Neneko's fingers rested on his belt for a moment and she bit her lip. She had never been so bold before with previous men, but she wanted to show him how much she wanted this. Her fingers carefully worked at unbuckling his belt and she leaned her forehead against his shoulder to try to hide how red her face was turning.

Neneko heard a quiet groan leave him as her hand slipped beneath the waist of his pants and her fingertips brushed over him through only a thin layer of fabric. The tingling feeling below her waist increased at the sound of his pleasure and she pushed herself to be even bolder. She slid her hand beneath that final barrier and stroked his most sensitive area, earning a louder sound that sent a wave heat directly to her core.

His hips subconsciously bucked forward, urging her on as he tried to grit his teeth. Bliss made his eyes close as she repeated her actions again and again, until he was unable to bear it any longer. Jin moved back; his face a slight shade of pink, eyes narrowed, panting quietly. He started to sweat a little as he saw her remove the last pieces of clothing that she wore.

She felt more nervous about this with him than with anyone before. Slightly worried he may not like how she looked. Fearful that he may change his mind. Neneko leaned back against the headboard again, biting her lip and turning her face to the side. She heard the rustle of fabric and pressed her legs closer together, the warm and tingly feeling growing.

A hand gently went beneath her chin and turned her face toward him. Lips met hers, a lingering taste of lavender and chamomile in the kiss. His eyes were still narrowed intensely when he pulled away. "I…I want you to look at me," he said, sounding a little nervous. However, remarkably, he seemed so stable in this situation. As if there were no conflicting thoughts, no feelings of splitting. This was something that he was absolutely, one hundred percent set on now.

Her face grew hot as she looked at him and Neneko quickly tried to hide her blush behind her hair. "You're…absolutely perfect! You honestly don't know how much I adore you!" she blurted out, slipping up and letting her reinforced way of speaking disappear for just a second.

Before he could ask about it, she threw her arms around his neck and latched her lips onto his again. Neneko caused him to fall onto his back on the bed with her on top and soon felt his hands sliding along her sides. She straddled his hips, keeping the kiss intact as she felt her love and desire for him become too much to handle. Her body rubbed against his, fueling the tingle in her core.

He groaned into the kiss, his hips rolling up and into hers. Grinding against her and fueling his own excitement as he felt the slickness of her warmth. It was becoming almost too much for him. His heart was racing so fast that it might burst. To hear such words come from the woman he loved, to feel her so close against him, to know he had made her feel so lustful.

When he broke the kiss, Jin stared up into her sharp violet eyes and he took in every detail of this moment. Not just how he felt, but how she looked. The soft blush that took over her face, the desire in her eyes, the way she bit her lower lip. To him, this was beyond perfect. It was better than his most vivid fantasy.

"I…want you to be on top…okay?" he told her, looking away almost in embarrassment. "So you can control it. I don't want to risk hurting you. I…wouldn't be able to take it…if you got hurt during this."

"A-alright." She leaned back to sit up on his waist and felt her face turning a more vibrant shade of red. Neneko knew she was ready for this; being touched so sweetly and hearing him talk, not to mention seeing him this way with no barriers between them. It was more than enough to prepare her.

Neneko lifted her hips and carefully reached between them. His hold on her waist tightened a bit when she touched him, but he quickly loosened it again. However, as soon as just a small part of him had slipped in, his hands gripped her hips harder once more. He hissed in pleasure and tensed beneath her, gritting his teeth to keep himself from making a louder sound.

She eased herself down slowly, eyes clenched shut as she felt him moving deeper. Her hands went to his shoulders when he was fully in, her nails lightly sinking into his skin. It had been quite a while since she was with someone this way so she was not used to it. Her muscles were stretching to accommodate him in a blend of pain and pleasure that made her eyes tear up.

Warm breath struck the area between her shoulder and neck as he panted, both arms wrapped around her to hold her close. "You feel amazing," he mumbled, running a hand along her back to soothe her. Jin pressed kisses against the side of her neck, knowing it probably hurt a little and trying to make her feel better. "Let me know when it stops hurting…I'm going to be gentle."

Her heart fluttered at those words and she tentatively moved her hips against his, causing a bit of friction to try to get her used to the feeling. It took a little while, but the pain gradually faded into euphoria. "I…I believe I might be ready," she whispered before kissing the side of his neck as well.

True to his word, he was careful. As much as he wanted this, he wanted it to be pleasant for her. He wanted this to be about showing his love for her rather than seeking his own release. He set a steady, careful pace to help her adjust a little more and continued to run his hand along her back, even as it arched.

She closed her eyes, panting softly against the side of his neck as she felt the tingling warmth grow in her core. Neneko's hands moved up from his shoulders, running through his hair as she leaned up to kiss his cheek. "Jin…if you would like to quicken your pace…I'm sure I can take it." Again, her speech slipped a little and this time it went unnoticed.

His hips moved a bit faster, the man still wary of accidentally hurting her. Jin let one hand slide up along her back, fingers tangling in her dark hair as he drew her face to his again. Lips latching onto hers in a deep kiss as he felt his own pleasure growing, feeling her chest rub against his with every move.

Neneko could feel a heated tension growing within her, getting stronger and beginning to pulsate when he went quickened his pace again. She broke the kiss and buried her face in the side of his neck, trying to fight back cries of bliss. _If I become too loud…it will hurt him. Quietly…quietly…_She panted against his shoulder, muffling a moan as he went a little harder.

He kissed along her neck, holding himself back as he waited for her to reach her climax first. Clutching Neneko against his chest as he eased her closer toward her edge. When he felt her hips grind down against him, he released a groan against her neck and his hand pressed tighter against her back.

She felt the tension building up more and more, the pulsing feeling increasing until she was seeing stars. Neneko's nails lightly dug into his scalp and shoulder as it washed over her. Euphoria sending her spiraling into a blissed out state as she muffled another moan against the side of his neck. "J-Jin…"

"Is…is it okay if I-?"

"Yes!" She closed her eyes as he went a little bit faster, his body tensing as he got close to his own edge. As it hit him, she felt his hold on her tighten so she was held flush against him. Her back arched, a whimper forced from her lips as she felt him spill into her. "…ah…?"

Jin panted, his muscles relaxing and his hold on her loosening to a gentle embrace. He turned his head to look at her and then realized what just occurred. His eyes widened and he pushed himself to sit up, having her now sit on his lap. "I-I'm sorry! I wasn't thinking-!"

"It…it is quite alright." Neneko's lips met his and she smiled into the kiss.


End file.
